Determination of lead using a poly(vinyl chloride)-based crown ether membrane

A poly(vinyl chloride)(PVC)-based membrane of 15-crown-5 exhibits a good response for lead(II) ions over a wide concentration range. The response time of the sensor is 30 s and the membrane can be used for more than four months without observing any divergence. The selectivity of the sensor is comparable with those reported for other such electrodes. It was possible to determine lead in polluted waters using this electrode assembly.

Preparation and Characterization of Interpenetration Polymer Network Films Based on Poly(vinyl alcohol) and Poly(acrylic acid) for Drug Delivery

A series of full interpenetrating polymer network (full-IPN) films of poly(acrylic acid) (PAA)/poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were prepared by radical solution polymerization and sequential IPN technology. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, swelling properties, mechanical properties, morphology, and glass transition temperature of the films were investigated. FTIR spectra analysis showed that new interaction hydrogen bonds between PVA and PAA were formed. Swelling property of the films in distilled water and different pH buffer solution was studied. Swelling ratio increased with increasing PAA content of IPN films in all media, and swelling ratio decreased with increasing PVA crosslink degree. Tensile strength and elongation at break related not only to the constitution of IPNs but also to the swelling ratio of IPNs.

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%.

Branched polystyrene with abundant pendant vinyl functional groups from asymmetric divinyl monomer

Branched polystyrenes with abundant pendant vinyl functional groups were prepared via radical polymerization of an asymmetric divinyl monomer, which possesses a higher reactive styryl and a lower reactive butenyl. Employing a fast reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) equilibrium, the concentration of active propagation chains remained at a low value and thus crosslinking did not occur until a high level of monomer conversion. The combination of a higher reaction temperature (120 degrees C) and RAFT agent cumyl dithiobenzoate was demonstrated to be optimal for providing both a more highly branched architecture and a higher polymer yield.

Synthesis of Liquid Polybutadiene Having Desired 1,2-Vinyl Content with Co(naph)(2)-Al-2(C2H5)(3)Cl-3-P(OPh)(3) Catalyst System

Liquid polybutadiene with desirable 1,2-units content was synthesized by Co(naph)(2)-Al-2(C2H5)(3)Cl-3-P(OPh)(3) catalyst system. It was shown that liquid polybutadiene having adequate 1,2-unit content (vinvl =35%-40%) molecular weight(M-n = 700-3500), and acceptabele conversion(>= 55%) can synthesized after optimizing polymerization conditions.

Super-hydrophobicity of silica nanoparticles modified with vinyl groups

Super-hydrophobic films with vinyl-modified silica nanoparticles (V-SiOx-NPs) were successfully prepared. The rough surface, which was composed of microstructures of disordered V-SiOx-NPs and nanostructures on the surface of V-SiOx-NPs, rather than the chemical composition devoted to the super-hydrophobicity of film. The relationship between contact angle and diameter of V-SiOx-NPs was then investigated. The sessile contact angles (CA) of films with 150-1600nm V-SiOx-NPs were around 166 regardless the diameter, while the film with 85 nm V-SiOx-NPs had the lowest CA of about 158. The packing manner of V-SiOx-NPs determined the air fraction on the surface and then the CA.

SYNTHESIS AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HYPERBRANCHED VINYL POLYMERS FROM RAFT POLYMERIZATION OF AN ASYMMETRIC DIVINYL MONOMER

Hyperbranched vinyl polymers were prepared by reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer ( RAFT) polymerization of a styrenic asymmetric divinyl monomer. This was achieved by using cumyl dithiobenzoate or S-dodecyl-S'-(alpha,alpha'-dimethyl-alpha ''-acetic acid) trithiocarbonate as the chain transfer agent, 1,1'-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) or thermal initiation as a source of radicals. Cross-linking was inhibited by a rapid RAFT-based equilibrium between active propagation chains and dormant species, and thus a hyperbranched polymer with a monomer conversion as high as 80% was obtained. The hyperbranched structure and properties of the resultant polymers were characterized by a combination of H-1-NMR spectroscopy and a triple detection size exclusion chromatography (TRI-SEC). The hyperbranched vinyl polymer has a broad molecular weight distributions and a low Mark-Houwink exponent alpha value compared with the linear counterpart.

Free-Radical Solution Copolymerization of the Ionic Liquid Monomer 1-Vinyl-3-Ethylimidazolium Bromide with Acrylonitrile

Ionic liquid monomer 1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium bromide (ViEtIM(+)Br(-)) was first used to copolymerize with acrylonitrile (AN) successfully under various conditions. This was achieved with azobisisobutyronitrile as the initiator and dimethyl sulfoxide as the solvent. The kinetics of this copolymerization were studied. The values of the monomer apparent reactivity ratios were calculated by the Kelen-Tudos method. The apparent reactivity ratios of ViEtIM(+)Br(-) (r(ViEtIM+Br-)) and AN (r(AN)) were similar at polymerization conversions of less than 10%, (r(AN) = 0.954, r(ViEtIM+Br-) = 0.976). The copolymers were obtained with high molecular weights and high hydrophilicides. The copolymers were characterized by H-1-NMR, differential scanning calorimetry, and thermogravimetric analysis. These copolymers may be potentially useful in the preparation of precursor fibers and carbon fibers.

Crystallization behavior of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) in poly(epsilon-caprolactone) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) mixtures

The morphological development and crystallization behavior of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) in miscible mixtures of PCL and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) were investigated by optical microscopy as a function of the mixture composition and crystallization temperature. The results indicated that the degree of crystallinity of PCL was independent of the mixture composition upon melt crystallization because the glass-transition temperatures of the mixtures were much lower than the crystallization temperature of PCL. The radii of the PCL spherulites increased linearly with time at crystallization temperatures ranging from 42 to 49 degrees C. The isothermal growth rates of PCL spherulites decreased with the amount of the amorphous PVME components in the mixtures. Accounting for the miscibility of PCL/PVME mixtures, the radial growth rates of PCL spherulites were well described by a kinetic equation involving the Flory-Huggins interaction parameter and the free energy for the nuclei formation in such a way that the theoretical calculations were in good agreement with the experimental data. From the analysis of the equilibrium melting point depression, the interaction energy density of the PVME/PCL system was calculated to be -3.95 J/cm(3).

Study on crystallization of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) in poly(epsilon-caprolactone)/poly(vinyl methyl ether) blends

The crystallization behaviors of poly( E-caprolactone) (PCL) in poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) and poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) blends were investigated by POM, DSC, WAXD, SAXS. POM results indicated that spherical crystal morphology was present during isothermal process, and the spheric growth rates were reduced with increasing the contents of PVME in PCL/PVME blends. It was found that the crystallinity of PCL in the blends remained almost constant regardless of the blend composition, but it was dependent on preparation technique. Solution-crystallization was found to be a technique capable of increasing crystallinity levels for some compositions. The melting behavior of the blends is a rather complex process. Both solution-crystallized samples and isothermal-crystallized samples exhibited a single endotherm. Oppositely, melting-crystallized samples exhibited dual-melting endotherms whose mangnitudes vary with blend compositions. On the basis of WAXD and SAXS experiments, it is found that the crystal structure is unchanged, but the long period increases with increasing the content of PVME because of the thickening of the amorphous layers.

Free radical grafting of polyethylene with vinyl monomers by reactive extrusion

The free radical grafting of polyethylene with vinyl monomers by reactive extrusion was studied numerically. Numerical computation expressions of key variables, such as the concentrations of the initiator and polymer, grafting degree, average molecular weight and apparent viscosity, were deduced. The evolutions of the above variables were predicted by means of an uncoupled semi-implicit iterative algorithm. The monomer conversion monotonically increases with decreasing throughput or increasing initial initiator concentration; with increasing barrel temperature, the monomer conversion first increases then decreases. The simulated results are nearly in good agreement with the experimental results.

Preparation and physical properties of enhanced radiation induced crosslinking of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH)

Preparation and physical properties of ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) crosslinked by enhanced radiation have been studied through various methods. It was found that the most effective agent for irradiation-crosslinking was triallyl isocyanurate (TAIC) among four kinds of polyfunctional monomers. Gel content (65.6%) was formed for EVOH-44 (content of ethylene is 44 mol%) at 200 kGy with 5% TAIC, but for EVOH-32 (content of ethylene is 32 mol%), only 37.4% gel content was formed under the same conditions. This result showed that the more the content of ethylene units comprised in EVOH, the easier the chemical bonds could be formed between different molecular chains. Tensile strength and elastic modulus increased after crosslinking at high test temperature and elongation at break decreased at the same time. Hygroscopicity of EVOH showed noticeable decrease after enhancement radiation-crosslinking.

Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer mediated radical polymerization of asymmetrical divinyl monomers targeting hyperbranched vinyl polymers

Reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) mediated radical polymerizations of allyl methacrylate and undecenyl methacrylate, compounds containing two types of vinyl groups with different reactivities, were investigated to provide hyperbranched polymers. The RAFT agent benzyl dithiobenzoate was demonstrated to be an appropriate chain-transfer agent to inhibit crosslinking and obtain polymers with moderate-to-high conversions. The polymerization of allyl methacrylate led to a polymer without branches but with five- or six-membered rings. However, poly(undecenyl methacrylate) showed an indication of branching rather than intramolecular cycles. The hyperbranched structure of poly(undecenyl methacrylate) was confirmed by a combination of H-1, C-13, H-1-H-1 correlation spectroscopy, and distortionless enhancement by polarization transfer 135 NMR spectra. The branching topology of the polymers was controlled by the variation of the reaction temperature, chain-transfer-agent concentration, and monomer conversion. The significantly lower inherent viscosities of the resulting polymers, compared with those of linear analogues, demonstrated their compact structure,