PMMA/SAN共混物薄膜表面相分离动力学的原位AFM研究

本论文主要借助原子力显微镜（AFM）、X-射线光电子能谱（XPS）等实验手段，纳米尺度上在线原位地研究了高温临界组成PMMMA/SAN（50／50，w／w）共混薄膜体系，分析并探讨了此共混薄膜表面相分离及其超薄膜体系的润湿／去润湿和相分离行为。首先，从敲击式AFM中相位图的成像原理出发，建立了一个高温下用原位AFM定性鉴别不同聚合物的纳米尺寸微区的方法，即：先在基底（硅）上铺展一层非常平坦的单一组分（SAN）薄膜，再在此千膜上，通过旋涂由选择性溶剂（冰醋酸）配制的另一组分（PMMA）的极稀溶液，使之不能形成一层连续的完整膜，最后在高温（175℃）下用敲击模式的原子力显微镜（TM-AFM）检测相位图随退火时间的变化。得到在175℃的相位图中，PMMA富相比SAN的富相显得更暗，这为后续工作提供了定性鉴别相区的方法。其次，高温下用原位AFM研究了PMMA/SAN薄膜表面相分离过程，在线观察了相分离的归并过程，定量地得到了临界相分离温度，并给出了特征波矢对时间依赖关系的标度指数，划分了相分离动力学演变的不同阶段。对于膜厚约为130nm的体系，表面相分离的临界温度大约为165℃，其表面相分离的特征波矢与时间的标度关系q+（t）-t-n，在整个实验时间内，随时间的演变过程中，显示了两个不同的指数变化区，即前期很慢的n=0.13和后期的n＝1／3。0.13的指数关系可能是由于表面聚合物链的几何受限及表面富集相把部分新生成的另一相覆盖所致，1／3的指数关系可以认为是由普遍的Brownian扩散所致。而对于膜厚为50曲的此组成共混薄膜，得到的标度关系与C汕n线性理论吻合得非常好的Spinodal Deposition（SD）表面相分离的初期，即n＝0，这是由于降低膜厚 增加了共混物的相容性，提高了临界温度，从而减缓了相分离过程，使得在我 们观测的时间范围内更易观察到表面相分离的初期。再次，用阶梯式降温的好M和XPS，发现了PMMA/SAN体系原位和离位实验结果存在巨大差别的主要原因之一—润湿温度的存在。对PMMA/SAN（50／50，w／w，-130nm）共混薄膜体系，原位AFM的退火和准淬火实验表明， 虽然在高温和室温、真空和常态、原位和离位，相分离的聚合物共混薄膜表面 形貌变化不大，但是表面物理性质却有很大的区别。原位XPS实验表明，未经 任何处理的样品在185℃退火时，很快在离表面很薄的下面形成一层PMMA含 量远低于本体值的薄层，之后最表面的PMMA也往本体迁移，直至表面SAN 的含量远高于它的本体值。对已在175℃退火20hr的此样品，逐渐降温退火过 程的原位XPS表明，当退火温度降至145oC时，样品表面几乎完全被PMMA覆盖，很好地验证了Conlposto等提出的润湿温度的假设，即对此体系，润湿温 度是原位和离位存在巨大的差异的主要因素之一，这与原位AFM的实验结果也，存在很好的一致性。最后，高温下原位观察了硅基底上PMMA/SAN超薄膜（膜厚-Rg）的去润湿、相分离过程和PMMA在基底上的润湿过程，以及云母基底上的该体系高温下的稳定润湿行为。以硅为基底的PMM刀sAN共混超薄膜在155”c下发生了类 似sPinodal dewetting的去润湿，其原因可能是在垂直于基底的浓度梯度引起的表面组成的涨落，对这种去润湿的动力学还进行了探讨。以硅为基底的PMMA/SAN共混超薄膜在175℃下不仅发生了类似spinodal dewetting的去润 湿，而且还发生了去润湿液滴内部的相分离以及相分离析出的PMMA润湿硅基底的过程，提出了一个简单的模型描述了这种复杂的过程。此外，还研究了不同基底对此共混超薄膜体系的润湿行为进行了研究，以云母为基底的此共混体系在175℃下长时间内是稳定的，其原因可能是云母与PMMA和SAN均有很强的作用力，足于补偿聚合物链在构象嫡上的损失。

High PL-efficiency ZnO nanocrystallites/PPV composite nanofibers

In this paper, we report for the first time on the synthesis of ZnO nanocrystallites in conjugated polymer (PPV) nanofibers by the coupling of the in situ/blend methods and electrospinning. These composite nanofibers were characterized by fluorescence microscopy, atomic force microscope (AFM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), photoluminescence (PL) spectra, Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD).

Study on structure and molecular dynamics of starch/poly(sodium acrylate)grafted superabsorbent by C-13 solid state NMR

The domain-structure of samples containing a series of starch/poly(sodium acrylate)-grafted superabsorbents, pure starch, pure poly(sodium acrylate), and blend of starch/poly(sodium acrylate) has been studied by high-resolution solid-state C-13 NMR spectroscopy at room temperature. The result shows that the crystallinity of starch decreases greatly in the grafted and blended samples.

One-Step Ionic Liquid-Assisted Electrochemical Synthesis of Ionic Liquid-Functionalized Graphene Sheet Directly from Graphite

Graphite, inexpensive and available in large quantities, unfortunately does not readily exfoliate to yield individual graphene sheets. Here a mild, one-step electrochemical approach for the preparation of ionic-liquid-functionalized graphite sheets with the assistance of an ionic liquid and water is presented. These ionic-liquid-treated graphite sheets can be exfoliated into functionalized graphene nanosheets that can not only be individuated and homogeneously distributed into polar aprotic solvents, but also need not be further deoxidized. Different types of ionic liquids and different ratios of the ionic liquid to water can influence the properties of the graphene nanosheets. Graphene nanosheet/polystyrene composites synthesized by a liquid-phase blend route exhibit a percolation threshold of 0.1 vol % for room temperature electrical conductivity, and, at only 4.19 vol %, this composite has a conductivity of 13.84 S m(-1), which is 3-15 times that of polystyrene composites filled with single-walled carbon nanotubes.

Investigation of Degradation Behavior of Polymer on Surface of Film Due to the Existence of Monochromatic X-ray

Degradation and its temperature dependence of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) in the blend film of PMMA/SAN were investigated via ire-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS). The results show that thermal degradation of PMMA takes place at 185, 130, 80 degrees C and even room temperature due to the existence of monochromatic X-ray. Furthermore, the degradation rate depends crucially on the experiment temperature.

The phase behavior of comblike block copolymer A(m+1)B(m)/homopolymer A mixtures

The phase behaviors of comblike block copolymer A(m+1)B(m)/homopolymer A mixtures are studied by using the random phase approximation method and real-space self-consistent field theory. From the spinodals of macrophase separation and microphase separation, we can find that the number of graft and the length of the homopolymer A have great effects on the phase behavior of the blend. For a given composition of comblike block copolymer, increasing the number of graft does not change the macrophase separation spinodal curve but decreases the microphase separation region. The addition of a small quantity of long-chain homopolymer A increases the microphase separation of comblike block copolymer/homopolymer A mixture.

Hybridization of poly(4-vinyl pyridine)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinyl pyridine) aggregates in dioxane/water solution

Self-assembly of binary blends of two triblock copolymers of poly(4-vinyl pyridine)-b-polystyrene-b-poly(4-vinyl pyridine), i.e., P4VP(43)-b-PS260-b-P4VP(43) (P1) and P4VP(43)-b-PS366-b-P4VP(43) (P2), in dioxane/water solution was studied. These two triblock copolymers individually tend to form vesicles (P2) and cylindrical micelles (P1) in dilute solution. It was found that copolymer components in the blend, sample preparation method, and annealing time had significant effect on hybridization aggregate morphology. By increasing P1 content in the copolymer blends, fraction of looped and stretched cylinders increased, while fraction of bilayers decreased. Nearly no bilayer was observed when P1 content was above 85 wt%.

Grafting BSA onto poly[(L-lactide)-co-carbonate] microspheres by click chemistry

Model protein bovine serum albumin (BSA) was covalently grafted onto poly[(L-lactide)co-carbonate] microsphere surfaces by "click chemistry." The grafting was confirmed by confocal laser scanning microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The maximum amount of surface-grafted BSA was 45 mg.g(-1). The secondary structure of the grafted BSA was analyzed by FTIR and the results demonstrated that the grafting did not affect protein structure. This strategy can also be used on microspheres prepared from poly(L-lactide)/poly[(L-lactide)-co-carbonate] blend materials.

Effects of thermal annealing on polymer photovoltaic cells with buffer layers and in situ formation of interfacial layer for enhancing power conversion efficiency

We have investigated the effects of thermal annealing before and after cathode deposition on poly(3-hexylthiophene)(P3HT)/[6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) blend photovoltaic cells with different cathode buffer layers. The introduction of cathode buffer layer such as lithium fluoride (LiF) and calcium oxide (CaO) in pre-annealing cells can increase the open-circuit voltage (V-oc) and the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Post thermal annealing after cathode deposition further enhanced the PCE of the cells with LiF/Al cathode.

Multilayered core-shell structure of the dispersed phase in high-impact polypropylene

The multiphase morphology of high impact polypropylene (hiPP), which is a reactor blend of polypropylene (PP) with ethylene-propylene copolymer, was investigated by transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy techniques in conjunction with an analysis of the hiPP composition and chain structure based on solvent fractionation, C-13-NMR, and differential scanning calorimetry measurements.

Nucleation in A/B/AB blends: Interplay between microphase assembly and macrophase separation

We study the interplay between microphase assembly and macrophase separation in A/B/AB ternary polymer blends by examining the free energy of localized fluctuation structures (micelles or droplets), with emphasis on the thermodynamic relationship between swollen micelles (microemulsion) and the macrophase-separated state, using self-consistent field theory and an extended capillary model. Upon introducing homopolymer B into a micelle-forming binary polymer blend A/AB, micelles can be swollen by B. A small amount of component B (below the A-rich binodal of macrophase coexistence) will not affect the stability of the swollen micelles. A large excess of homopolymer, B, will induce a microemulsion failure and lead to a macrophase separation.

Blends of Poly(lactic acid) with Thermoplastic Acetylated Starch

Blends of poly(lactic acid)(PLA) and thermoplastic acetylated starch(ATPS) were prepared by means of the melt mixing method. The results show that PLA and ATPS were partially miscible, which was confirmed with the measurement of T-g by dynamic mechanical analysis(DMA) and differrential scanning calorimetry(DSC). The mechanical and thermal properties of the blends were improved. With increasing the ATPs content, the elongation at break and impact strength were increased. The elongation at break increased from 5% of neat PLA to 25% of the blend PLA/ATPS40. It was found that the cold crystallization behavior of PLA changed evidently by addition of ATPS. The cold crystallization temperature(T-cc) of each of PLA/ATPS blends was found to shift to a lower temperature and the width of exothermic peak became narrow compared with that of neat PLA.

Blends based on sulfonated poly[bis(benzimidazobenzisoquinolinones)] and poly(vinylidene fluoride) for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

A new blend system consisting of an amorphous sulfonated poly[bis(benzimidazobenzisoquinolinones)] (SPBIBI) and the semi-crystalline poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was prepared for proton exchange membranes. The miscibility behavior of a series of blends of SPBIBI with PVDF at various weight ratios was studied by WXRD, DSC and FTIR. The properties of the blend membranes were investigated, and it was found that the introduction of PVDF in the SPBIBI matrix altered the morphological structure of the blend membranes, which led to the formation of improved connectivity channels. For instance, the conductivity of the blend membrane containing 10 wt% PVDF displayed the highest proton conductivity (i.e., 0.086 S cm(-1)) at room temperature, a value almost twofold that of the pristine SPBIBI membranes (i.e., 0.054S cm(-1)) under identical conditions.