Preparation and characterization of poly(ethyl acrylate)/bentonite nanocomposites by in situ emulsion polymerization

Transparent poly(ethyl acrylate) (PEA)/bentonite nanocomposites containing intercalated-exfoliated combinatory structures of clay were synthesized by in situ emulsion polymerizations in aqueous dispersions containing bentonite. The samples for characterization were prepared through direct-forming films of the resulting emulsions without coagulation and separation. An examination with X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy showed that intercalated and exfoliated structures of clay coexisted in the PEA/bentonite nanocomposites. The measurements of mechanical properties showed that PEA properties were greatly improved, with the tensile strength and modulus increasing from 0.65 and 0.24 to 11.16 and 88.41 MPa, respectively. Dynamic mechanical analysis revealed a very marked improvement of the storage modulus above the glass-transition temperature. In addition, because of the uniform dispersion of silicate layers in the PEA matrix, the barrier properties of the materials were dramatically improved. The permeability coefficient of water vapor decreased from 30.8 x 10(-6) to 8.3 x 10(-6) g cm/cm(2)s cmHg. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Preparation and properties of polyethylene/montmorillonite nanocomposites by in situ polymerization

Polyethylene (PE)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by in situ coordination polymerization using a MMT/MgCl2/TiCl4 catalyst activated by AI(Et),. The catalyst was prepared by first diffusing MgCl2 into the swollen MMT layers, followed by loading TiCl4 on the inner/outer layer surfaces of MMT where MgCl2 was already deposited. The intercalation of MMT layers by MgCl2 and TiCl, was demonstrated by the enlarged interlayer spacing determined by WAXD. The nanoscale dispersion of MMT layers in the polyethylene matrix was characterized by WAXD and TEM. As a consequence, the crystallinity of the nanocomposite decreased sharply, whereas the tensile strength was significantly improved compared to that of virgin polyethylene of comparable molecular weight. The confinement of the nanodispersed MMT layers to molecular chain and the strong interaction between the nanoscale MMT layers and the resin matrix were thought to account for the decrease of crystallinity and the remarkable enhancement of strength.

Polymerization of rac-lactide using schiff base aluminum catalysts: Structure, activity, and stereoselectivity

A series of aluminum ethyls and isopropoxides based upon N,N,O,O-tetradentate Schiff base ligand framework have been prepared. X-ray diffraction analysis and H-1 NMR confirmed that these Schiff base aluminum ethyls and isopropoxides were all monomeric species with a five-coordinated central aluminum in their solid structures. Compared to the aluminum ethyls which all retain their monomeric structure in the solution, the dinucleating phenomenons of aluminum isopropoxides with less steric hindered substituents in the solution have also been observed. The activities and stereoselectivities of these complexes toward the ring-opening polymerization of rac-lactide have been investigated. Polymerization experiments indicated that (SB-2d)(AlOPr)-Pr-i [(SB-2d) = 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propylenebis(3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylideneiminato)] exhibited the highest stereoselectivity and (SB-3b)(AlOPr)-Pr-i [(SB-3b) = 2,2-dimethyl-1,3-propylenebis(3,5-dichlorinesalicylideneiminato)] possessed the highest activity among these aluminum isopropoxides. The substituents and the mode of the bridging part between the two nitrogen atoms both exerted significant influences upon the progress of the polymerizations, influencing either the tacticity of isolated polymers or the rate of polymerization.

A novel route to polyethylene-polystyrene blends through the fragmentation of porous polystyrene beads supported metallocene in ethylene polymerization

Polyethylene-polystyrene blends were synthesized by in situ ethylene polymerization with polystyrene porous beads supported metallocene; the influence of fragmenting support beads on the morphology and the mechanical performance of the blends was investigated.

Ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone by lanthanocene catalysis

Ring-opening polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone (CL) catalyzed by lanthanocenes, O(C2H4C5H3CH3)(2)YCl (Cat-YCl) and Me2Si[(CH3)(3)SiC5R3](2)NdCl (Cat-NdCl) has been carried out for the first time. It has been found that both yttrocene and neodymocene are very efficient to catalyze the polymerization of CL, giving high molecular weight poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL). The effects of [cat]/[epsilon-CL] molar ratio, polymerization temperature and time, as well as solvents were investigated and polymerization temperature is found to be the most important factor affecting the polymerization. The bulk polymerization gives higher molecular weight PCL and higher conversion than that in solution polymerization. NaBPh4 was found to promote the polymerization of epsilon-caprolactone, and thus to increase both the polymerization conversion and MW of poly(epsilon-caprolactone).

Extraction of genomic DNA using a new amino silica monolithic column

A new amino silica monolithic column was developed for DNA extraction in a miniaturized format. The monolithic column was prepared in situ by polymerization of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) and N-(beta-aminoethyl)-gamma-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane (AEAPMDMS). DNA was loaded in 50 mM tris(hydroxylmethyl)aminomethane-EDTA buffer at pH 7.0 and eluted with 300 mM potassium phosphate solution at pH 10.0. Under optimal condition, a 6.0-cm monolithic column provided a capacity of 56 ng DNA with an extraction efficiency of 71 +/- 5.2% (X +/- RSD). When the amino silica monolithic column was applied to extract genomic DNA from the whole blood of crucian carp, an extraction efficiency of 52 +/- 5.6% (X +/- SD) was obtained by three extractions. Since the chaotropic-based sample loading and organic solvent wash steps were avoided in this procedure, the purified DNA was suitable for downstream processes such as PCR. This amino silica monolithic column was demonstrated to allow rapid and efficient DNA purification in microscale.

Guiding mode in elliptical core microstructured polymer optical fiber

A kind of microstructured polymer optical fiber with elliptical core has been fabricated by adopting in-situ chemical polymerization technology and the secondary sleeving draw-stretching technique. Microscope photography demonstrates the clear hole-structure retained in the fiber. Though the holes distortion is visible, initial laser experiment indicates that light can be strongly confined in the elliptical core region, and the mode field is split obviously and presents the multi-mode characteristic. Numerical modeling is carried out for the real fiber with the measured parameters, including the external diameter of 150 pin, the average holes diameter of 3.3 mu m, and the average hole spacing of 6.3 mu m. by using full-vector plane wave method. The guided mode fields of the numerical simulation are consistent with the experiment result. This fiber shows the strong multi-mode and weak birefringence in the visible and near-infrared band, and has possibility for achieving the fiber mode convertors, mode selective couplers and so on.

Casting preforms for microstructured polymer optical fibre fabrication

A monolithic structured polymer preform was formed by in-situ chemical polymerization of high-purity MMA monomer in a home-made mould. The conditions for fabrication of the preforms were optimized and the preform was drawn to microstructured polymer optical fibre. The optical properties of the resultant elliptical-core fibre were measured. This technique provides advantages over alternative preform fabrication methods such as drilling and capillary stacking, which are less suitable for mass production. (c) 2006 Optical Society of America.

原位聚合制备聚乙烯多相材料的微结构调控

聚合物多相材料的制备作为丰富材料品种，扩展材料用途的重要手段受到了广泛地关注和深入地研究。传统的熔融共混法制备聚合物多相材料时，一般需要加入增容剂来改善各相之间的相容性，从而使多相材料的性能达到预期的目标。但是由于增容剂本身也存在分散状态的问题，所以它的加入对多相材料的性能的影响比较复杂。因此，本论文致力于用原位共聚接枝的方法和粒子破碎的方法解决多相材料的界面结合和相分散问题。首先，采用对分散相进行共聚功能化改性的方法，使分散相与乙烯共聚，聚合过程中原位生成聚乙烯接枝物，这种聚乙烯接枝物能起到增容两相的作用，提高两相界面的粘结性，将这种方法应用到有机聚苯乙烯粒子和无机磁性钴粒子体系中，并分别进行了详细的研究；其次，通过聚苯乙烯载体的结构设计，使聚苯乙烯载体催化剂具有较高并且可控的活性，在较高的活性下，聚苯乙烯载体可以破碎，破碎后的聚苯乙烯均匀地分散到乙烯聚合产物中，并且碎片达到纳米级，用这种方法可以改善多相材料的相分散。 本论文的主要工作和研究结果总结如下： 1、采用悬浮聚合制备了交联聚苯乙烯粒子（c-PS），并且在聚苯乙烯粒子的表面引入了双键；c-PS粒子在乙烯填充聚合时，可以与乙烯共聚，从而制备了表面接枝聚乙烯的聚苯乙烯微球（PS-g-PE）；PS-g-PE微球上的聚乙烯的结晶温度与纯聚乙烯的结晶温度相比提高了6℃，说明聚乙烯与聚苯乙烯间的化学连接促进了PE的结晶；PS-g-PE与PE共混后，聚苯乙烯粒子与聚乙烯基体间的界面粘结增强。 2、采用乳液聚合制备了共聚型和不可共聚型交联聚苯乙烯乳胶粒子；将两种聚苯乙烯粒子用于乙烯填充聚合制备了聚苯乙烯/聚乙烯纳米共混材料，结果发现，共聚型聚苯乙烯/聚乙烯的断面上，两相间的界面模糊，并且拉伸断面上也没有不可共聚聚苯乙烯体系中由于拉应力作用而产生的空穴，超薄切片的透射电镜结果同样说明了可共聚型聚苯乙烯体系中界面粘结性的提高；当共聚型聚苯乙烯乳胶粒子的填充量较大（20 wt%）时，聚乙烯共混材料的凝胶含量比较高，说明有更多的共聚型聚苯乙烯在聚乙烯中充当交联点。总之，共聚型聚苯乙烯的填充量在非常少时（0.1 wt%）就能达到很好的改性效果。 3、采用阴离子共聚制备了两亲性的聚苯乙烯-b-聚-2-乙烯基吡啶嵌段共聚物（PS-b-P2VP）和聚4-（3-丁烯基）苯乙烯-聚苯乙烯-聚2乙烯基吡啶的三嵌段共聚物（PBSt-b-PS-b-P2VP）；两个嵌段共聚物在甲苯中均能自组装形成以PVP为核、PS为壳的胶束；Co2(CO)8在PS-b-PVP和PBSt-b-PS-b-P2VP甲苯胶束中热分解得到了由胶束稳定分散的Co磁流体；无水无氧的钴磁流体与乙烯填充聚合后得到了磁性聚乙烯纳米复合材料；钴纳米粒子在聚乙烯中稳定分散，不会发生聚集；PBSt-b-PS-b-P2VP与乙烯共聚后，纳米粒子与聚乙烯基体的相容性进一步提高，从而解决了金属纳米粒子在聚合物中的分散以及界面增强的问题。 4、采用悬浮聚合制备了三种溶胀能力不同的聚苯乙烯交联粒子，研究了溶胀时间对聚苯乙烯载体溶胀程度的影响，以及溶胀程度对乙烯聚合和产物聚乙烯形态的影响；实验结果发现溶胀程度较大、溶胀能力较强的聚苯乙烯载体的负载量和活性都较高；通过提高载体的溶胀程度可以增加催化剂对乙烯聚合的催化活性，最终使载体充分破碎分散到乙烯聚合产物中，原位形成纳米级聚乙烯共混物；乙烯聚合的动力学研究表明载体的破碎是一个由外向内逐步发生的过程；适当的活性可以控制载体破碎的速度，从而得到颗粒形态较好的聚乙烯产物。

Study on the synthesis and performance of hydrogels with ionic monomers and montmorillonite

Two series of the nanocomposite hydrogels were synthesized by in-situ solution polymerization. One pre-gel solution was obtained by directly dispersing the montmorillonite (MMT) powder into aqueous monomer solution and the other pre-gel solution was obtained by mixing monomer aqueous solution and the dispersion of MMT. The structure and performance of two series of hydrogels in dry state were studied by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, TEM and Al-27 MAS NMR. Compressing test results showed that the gel strength of the hydrogels prepared by the latter method was much higher than that by the former method. When acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC) was introduced into the system, hydrogels with excellent nanostructure could be synthesized. The result of Al-27 MAS NMR suggested that the chemical environment of aluminum in MMT was changed by the introduction of DAC due to the interaction between the groups of DAC and MMT layers. Thus, the combination of copolymerizing with strong polar monomers and using the dispersion of MMT were the effective ways to obtain tranocomposite hydrogel of MMT and ionic monomers. The nanostructure of the hydrogel improved the gel strength, while the swelling ratio of the hydrogel depended on synergic effects of multifunctional groups.

Polyampholytes superabsorbent nanocomposites with excellent gel strength

A series of novel polyampholyte superabsorbent nanocomposites with excellent gel strength were synthesized by in situ solution polymerization in aqueous solution. Acrylic acid and acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DAC) were employed as ionic monomers and montmorillonite (MMT) was used as inorganic component. The addition of cationic component could supply the positive charge in the network of nanocomposite and promote the formation of nanostructure of composites due to the interaction between DAC and clay platelets. The performance of polyampholyte nanocomposites were investigated and the result showed that the gel strength of nanocomposite hydrogel in distilled water and 0.9 wt% NaCl solution could reach 198.85 and 204.23 mJ/g, respectively, which were 13 times of the gel strength of matrix. The investigation of swelling behaviors showed that the nanocomposites had particular swelling behaviors of polyampholytes hydrogel in solution with different pH values and concentration of NaCl.

Polyaniline-coated carbon particles and their electrode behavior in organic carbonate electrolyte

In an attempt to increase the interface stability of carbon used in Li-ion batteries, a thin conducting polyaniline (PANI) film was fabricated on the surface of carbon by in situ chemical polymerization. The chemical and electrochemical properties of the composite material were characterized using X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, cyclic voltammetry, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It was confirmed that the PANI film has an obvious effect on the morphology and the electrochemical performance of carbon. The results could be attributed to the electronic and electrochemical activity of the conducting PANI films.

An effective approach to synthesis of poly(methyl methacrylate)/silica nanocomposites

A novel synthetic route for nearly monodispersed poly(methyl methacrylate)/SiO2 composite particles (PMSCP) is reported. Silica nanoparticles modified with oleic acid were used as 'seeds'. Methyl methacrylate (MMA) monomer was copolymerized with oleic acid via in situ emulsion polymerization, in the presence of an initiator; it resulted finally in the formation of composites with core-shell morphology. The composite particles were examined by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The number of silica particles inside the composite particles increases with an increase in the silica concentration. The effect of grafted silica concentration on the morphology of PMSCP is also reported in detail. It was found by thermogravimetric analysis that PMSCP show a potential application for fire retardance.

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene/clay-silica nanocomposites: A montmorillonite/silica-hybrid-supported catalyst and in situ polymerization

A novel approach to the preparation of polyethylene (PE) nanocomposites, with montmorillonite/silica hybrid (MT-Si) supported catalyst, was developed. MT-Si was prepared by depositing silica nanoparticles between galleries of the MT. A common zirconocene catalyst [bis(cyclopentadienyl)zirconium dichloride/methylaluminoxane] was fixed on the MT-Si surface by a simple method. After ethylene polymerization, two classes of nanofillers (clay layers and silica nanoparticles) were dispersed concurrently in the PE matrix and PE/clay-silica nanocomposites were obtained. Exfoliation of the clay layers and dispersion of the silica nanoparticles were examined with transmission electron microscopy. Physical properties of the nanocomposites were characterized by tensile tests, dynamic mechanical analysis, and DSC. The nanocomposites with a low nanofiller loading (<10 wt %) exhibited good mechanical properties. The nanocomposite powder produced with the supported catalyst had a granular morphology and a high bulk density, typical of a heterogeneous catalyst system.

Styrene polymerization catalyzed by metal porphyrin complex/MAO for in situ synthesizing polystyrene containing air stable pi cation radicals

A novel catalyst system based on nickel(II) tetraphenylporphyrin (Ni(II)TPP) and methylaluminoxane for styrene polymerization was developed. This catalyst system has a high thermal stability and show fairly good activity. The obtained polystyrene (PS) was isotactic-rich atactic polymer by C-13 NMR analysis, and its molecular weight distribution was rather narrow (M-w/M-n approximate to 1.6, by GPC analysis). ESR revealed that Ni(II)TPP pi cation radicals were formed in the polymerization and could remain in the resulting PS stably. The mechanism of the polymerization was discussed and a special coordination mechanism was proposed. The PS product containing Ni(II)TPP pi cation radicals can be used as a potential functional material.