Side chain length dependence on supra-molecular structures in a series of aromatic polyimides having terminal 4-cyanobiphenyl liquid crystalline side chains

A series of newly designed polyimides, composed of aromatic polyimide backbones and methylene side chains with terminal 4-cyanobiphenyl groups, were synthesized based on the polycondensation of 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA) with 2,2′-bis{ω-[4-(4-cyanophenyl)phenyoxy-n-alkoxycarbonyl]}-4,4′-biphenyl diamine (nCBBP, where n is the number of methylene units in the side chains). We report our structural and morphological studies on this series of BPDA-nCBBP, which possesses n=7, 9, and 11 methylene units in the side chains. For these three polyimides, a nematic (N) phase was first formed at high-temperatures during cooling from the isotropic melt. The transition temperatures and enthalpies were cooling-rate independent as observed in differential scanning calorimetry. This N phase was further confirmed by the results of wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and polarized light microscopic experiments. At lower temperatures, ordered structures were formed. It was surprising that in the cases of BPDA-nCBBP (n=7 and 9), triclinic lattices were observed; while in the case of BPDA-11CBBP, a hexagonal lattice was evident, as determined by 2D WAXD experiments. This indicated that by increasing the number of methylene units in the LC side chains, the individual chains (base unit) used in constructing these supra-molecular structures changed their packing symmetry. Namely, when the number of methylene units in the side chains was relatively low (i.e. the length is short), the individual chains were packed into a ribbon-like structure. However, when the side chain length is long enough, the individual chains exhibit cylindrical symmetry. Regardless of the lattice formed by the supra-molecular structures, they are all on the nanometer length scale.     

New multiblock copolymers of sulfonated poly(4′-phenyl-2,5-benzophenone) and poly(arylene ether sulfone) for proton exchange membranes. II

Rigid-rod poly(4′-phenyl-2,5-benzophenone) telechelics were synthesized by Ni(0) catalytic coupling of 2,5-dichloro-4′-phenylbenzophenone and the end-capping agent 4-chloro-4′-fluorobenzophenone. The degree of polymerization was determined by ¹³C NMR. The telechelics produced were selectively sulfonated by concentrated sulfuric acid at 50 °C. The degree of sulfonation was controlled by varying the reaction time and was determined by titration. The nucleophilic step copolymerization of the fluoroketone activated sulfonated poly(4′-phenyl-2,5-benzophenone) oligomer (M_n=3.05×10³ g/mol) with hydroxyl terminated biphenol based polyarylethersulfone (M_n=4.98×10³ g/mol) afforded an alternating multiblock sulfonated copolymer that formed flexible transparent films, in contrast to the high molecular weight rigid rod homopolymers. They were tested for water absorption and proton conductivity by specific impedance. The synthesis and characterization of these multiblock copolymers are reported.     

Phase behaviors of comb-like liquid crystalline polysiloxanes containing fluorinated mesogenic units

Several liquid crystalline polysiloxanes (Pa-Pf) bearing fluorinated mesogenic units were synthesized using poly(methylhydrogeno)siloxane, 4′-(4-undec-10-enoyloxy-benzoyloxy)-biphenyl-4-yl 4-fluoro-benzoate and 4′-propionyloxy-biphenyl-4-yl 4-allyloxy-benzoate, and effect of fluorinated mesogenic units on phase behaviors of the fluorinated LC polysiloxanes was studied as well. The samples Pa and Pb showed single nematic mesophase when they were heated and cooled, but Pc, Pd, Pe and Pf exhibited both smectic and nematic phases. The glass transition temperature and smectic A-nematic mesophase transition temperature of polymers increased slightly with increase of fluorinated units in the polymer systems, but mesophase-isotropic phase transition temperature decreased slightly. In XRD curves, the intensity of sharp reflections at low angle increased with increase of fluorinated mesogenic units in the polymers' systems, indicating that the longer spacer and the fluorophobic effect of fluorinated mesogenic units could lead to a significant stabilization and even to modifications of smectic mesophases.     

Self-assembly of a liquid crystal ABA triblock copolymer in a nematic liquid crystal solvent

An ABA type triblock copolymer, consisting of liquid crystalline polymer (LCP, poly(4-cyanobiphenyl-4-oxyundecylacrylate)) ‘A’ end blocks and a deuterated polystyrene (dPS) ‘B’ mid block (LCP–dPS–LCP) was successfully synthesized by atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP). The number average molecular weight (M_n) of LCP–dPS–LCP was LCP (7.1 K)–dPS (19.4 K)–LCP (7.1 K) with a polydispersity index (PDI) of 1.41. LCP–dPS–LCP was self-assembled in a nematic liquid crystal solvent of 4-pentyl-4′-cyanobiphenyl (5CB) into spherical micelles with a LCP corona and a dPS core, in which dPS was folded to produce a V-shape structure. Micellar structures of LCP–dPS–LCP in 5CB were examined by small angle neutron scattering at various block copolymer concentrations and temperatures using a curve fitting method. The critical micelle concentration was 0.25 wt% and the self-assembled micelles dissociated into unimers at 33 °C, which is lower than the nematic to isotropic transition temperature (T_ni) of 5CB (36 °C). The entropic penalty imposed on dPS by the ordered nematic state of the 5CB solvent caused phase separation of the flexible dPS block to form micelles, which vanished above the T_ni of the 5CB solvent. Magnetic field-induced global orientation of 5CB revealed the structure of the dPS core of the micelle to be prolate (an elongated sphere) oriented with its long axis along the direction of the applied magnetic field.     

Thermal transition behaviors in a liquid crystalline polyesterimide

The crystallization and melting behaviors of the polyesterimide, derived from N,N′-hexane-1,6-diylbis(trimellitimides), 4,4′-dihydroxybenzophenone and p-hydroxybenzoic acid, were investigated by using polarized light microscopy (PLM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The nematic texture of the polyesterimide was observed on raising temperature to 265 °C, and the nematic phase was found to convert to isotropic melt beginning from about 300 °C, the ordered nematic micro-domains still surviving after 320 °C. Isothermal crystallization of the samples was performed at 180 °C after heating samples at various temperatures in the range of 265-360 °C, and a completed crystallization peak can appear on DSC curves up to the heating temperature of 360 °C in the presence of the nematic phase and the ordered nematic micro-domains. Non-isothermal crystallization of the samples at different cooling rate was carried out, and the melting of the resulting crystals exhibits double endotherms. It is indicated that a fast crystallization in the nematic phase forms relatively more ordered crystals, which melt at higher temperature, and a slow crystallization in the isotropic phase or in the biphasic melt produces poor crystals, which melt at lower temperature. The crystallized polyesterimide was annealed, which has a minor effect on the high-melting peak but leads to a continual shifting of the low-melting peak to higher temperature with increasing annealing temperature or annealing time. WAXD patterns indicated that the structural transform was not found during annealing process.     

Monitoring the chemical crosslinking of propylene polymers through rheology

The chemical crosslinking of propylene polymers is described; the reaction has been performed under dynamic conditions, using a peroxide and a furan or bis-maleimide-based coagent as crosslinking promoter; the reaction mechanisms have been investigated through FT-IR spectrometry. Crosslinking experiments have been carried out while keeping constant the amount and the nature of peroxide and increasing the coagent concentration; four different coagents have been used. The samples have been studied, in the molten state, by measuring the melt flow rates (MFR) and the values of G′ (storage modulus), G″ (loss modulus), Tg(δ) (ratio G″/G′), and η^∗ (complex viscosity), in the frequency range 10⁻²-10² rad s⁻¹. Another set of measurements has been performed on the same materials, collecting for each sample the values of η⁰ (zero shear viscosity) and J_e⁰ (steady state creep compliance) by creep-creep recovery experiments. The effects of crosslinking degree estimated by gel content and through rheological measurements allows one to evaluate the efficiency of the coagent both in terms of prevention of β-scission and promotion of the crosslinking reactions. These results are discussed with reference to the selection of proper conditions of the crosslinking process in order to achieve a material having desired MFR, rheological behavior and melt elasticity for selected application.     

Primary steps of oxidation and electronic interactions in anodic cleavage of α,ω-diisocyanurate substituted dialkyl disulfides

The electrochemical oxidation of 1,1′-bis(3,5-dimethyl-[1,3,5]triazinane-2,4,6-trionyl)-α,α′-diorganyl-ω,ω′-disulfides involves a fast electron transfer followed by two chemical steps according to a ECC scheme. Using MM+, PM3 and ab initio SCF/3-21G^∗ molecular modeling it was shown that the low oxidation potential and the smallest current-determining cleavage rate constant in the reaction series of the disulfide with (CH₂)₆ spacer between SS bridge and the terminal heterocycles is due to an interaction of the π-components of the highest filled orbitals of the two heterocycles (HOMO and HOMO-1) with the LUMO (n-orbital of S) of the cation radical.     

Side-chain polyesters and polyester hydrochlorides based on terephthalic acid

Side-chain polyesters and polyester hydrochlorides were synthesized from α-(bis(2-hydroxyethyl)amino)-ω-(4′-methoxy biphenyl-4-oxy) alkanes with different spacer lengths (Cn-diol, n=6, 8, 10) and terephthaloyl chloride. Since N-substituted diethanolamine acts as a stronger acid acceptor than triethylamine or pyridine, polyester hydrochlorides are formed during polyesterification instead of polyesters. Polyesters can be prepared from a chloroform solution of polyester hydrochlorides by extraction of HCl. During the polyesterification, linear polymers as well as cyclic oligomers are formed. All polymers were analyzed by ¹H NMR, size exclusion chromatography (SEC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray spectroscopy (XND) and polarizing optical microscopy (POM). Polyesters and polyester hydrochlorides differ greatly in solubility and thermal properties. Although no liquid crystalline phase transitions were detected for either kind of polymer, an ordered structure was observed in XRD experiments for both polymers and was ascribed to a crystal smectic E phase.     

Determination of lithium diffusion coefficient in LiFePO4 electrode by galvanostatic and potentiostatic intermittent titration techniques

A new model of lithium-ion transport processes in the LiFePO₄ electrode is proposed. This model takes into account the phase transition LiFePO₄ ↔ FePO₄ accompanying reversible lithium intercalation into the electrode during potential or current steps. The diffusion coefficient of Li⁺ ion and its dependence on the LiFePO₄/FePO₄ phase ratio have been determined by means of processing of experimental potential and current transients in accordance with the model's equations. The results of galvanostatic and potentiostatic intermittent titration techniques are in good agreement. The value of diffusion coefficient varies within 10⁻¹⁰-10⁻¹⁶ cm² s⁻¹ depending on the lithium content in solid solution Li_XFePO₄ and Li_1−XFePO₄ (X < 0.02) or the LiFePO₄/FePO₄ phase ratio.     

Fluorinated phenylethynyl-terminated imide oligomers with reduced melt viscosity and enhanced melt stability

Two novel fluorinated phenyethynyl-contained endcapping agents, 4-(3-trifluoromethyl-1-phenylethynyl)phthalic anhydride (3F-PEPA) and 4-(3,5-bistrifluoromethyl-1-phenylethynyl)phthalic anhydride (6F-PEPA) were synthesized, which were employed to synthesize two fluorinated model compounds, N-phenyl-4(3-trifluoromethyl)-phenylethynylphthalimide (3F-M) and N-phenyl-4(3,5-bitrifluoromethyl)-phenylethynyl phthalimide (6F-M). The thermal cure kinetics of 3F-M and 6F-M were analyzed using DSC and compared to the unfluorinated derivative, N-phenyl-4-phenylethynylphthalimide (PEPA-M). The thermal cure temperatures of 3F-M and 6F-M were 399 and 412 °C, which were 22 and 35 °C higher than that of PEPA-M, respectively. The thermal cure kinetics of 3F-M and 6F-M best fit a first-order rate law, although 3F-M and 6F-M reacted slower than PEPA-M. However, the exothermic enthalpy of 3F-M and 6F-M were only half of PEPA-M. Based on the model compounds study, a series of fluorinated phenylethynyl-terminated imide oligomers (F-PETIs) with different calculated molecular weights (Calc'd M_n) were synthesized by thermal polycondensation of 2,3,3′,4′-biphenyltetracarboxylic acid dianhydride (a-BPDA) and 3,4′-oxydianiline (3,4′-ODA) using 3F-PEPA or 6F-PEPA as the endcapping agent. The substituent effects of the trifluoromethyl (−CF₃) groups on the thermal cure behavior and melt processability of F-PETIs were systematically investigated. Experimental results reveal that the melt processability of F-PETI was apparently improved by the reduced resin melt viscosities and the enhanced melt stability due to the incorporation of the −CF₃ groups in the imide backbone. All of those F-PETIs exhibit outstanding thermal and mechanical properties.     

Free volume in poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s from positron lifetime and PVT experiments and its relation to the structural relaxation

Free volume data from positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy (PALS) experiments are combined with a Simha-Somcynsky (S-S) equation of state analysis of pressure-volume-temperature (PVT) data to model free volume contributions to structural mobility in a series of poly(n-alkyl methacrylate)s. From the PALS data the glass transition temperature, T_g, decreases (from 382 to 224 ± 5 K) and a given mean free volume is observed at lower temperatures as the side-chain length increases (going from methyl- to hexyl-). This is evidence of an internal plasticization whereby the side-chains reduce effective packing of molecules. By comparing PALS and PVT data, the hole number per mass unit, N_h′, is calculated using different methods; this varies between 0.54 and 0.86 × 10²¹ g⁻¹. It is found that the extrapolated free volume becomes zero at a temperature T₀′ that is smaller than the Vogel temperature T₀ of the α-relaxation. The α-relaxation frequencies can be fitted by the free volume theory of Cohen and Turnbull, but only when the free volume V_f is replaced by (V_f − ΔV) where ΔV( = E_f(T₀ − T₀′), E_f is the thermal expansivity of V_f) varies between 0.060 and 0.027 ± 0.003 cm³/g, decreasing with side-chain length, apart from poly(n-hexyl methacrylate) where ΔV increases to 0.043 ± 0.003 cm³/g. One possible interpretation of this is that the α-relaxation only occurs when, due to statistical reasons, a group of m or more unoccupied S-S cells are located adjacent to one another. m is found to vary between 8 and 2 for poly(methyl methacrylate) and poly(n-butyl methacrylate), respectively. We found that no specific feature in the free volume expansion was consistently in coincidence with the dynamic crossover.     

Peculiarities of δ- and α-relaxations in thermotropic side chain liquid crystalline polymers with and without nematic reentrant phase

We have performed a dielectric spectroscopy study of four homologous cyanobiphenyl polyacrylates with long side chains. The α- and δ-relaxation times were found to be sensitive to the sequential transformations between mesophases. The τ^δ in the isotropic phase exhibits the characteristics that obeys VFT relation and depend strongly on spacer length. The relaxation times, τ^δ, for the crossover from short range intermolecular interactions to long range LC ordering, decreases with increasing side chain length, implying that the cooperative motions of mesogenic dipoles arrange long range order at shorter time scales, as the spacer length is increased. In the SmA mesophases of CBPAn compounds with n = 8, 9 and 11 α-relaxation times were found to be nearly temperature independent at high temperatures. Thus, segmental motions take place in the state of diminished dynamical constraints of backbones, which can be attributed to the plasticization effects of polymeric layers in the case of long methylene spacers. In CBPA6 and CBPA8, with even numbers of methylene groups, anomalies of δ-relaxation processes were observed at the nematic reentrant (N_re) transitions. The anomalies of α-relaxation processes in the SmA mesophases were found to be precursors of N_re transitions as temperature decreases. The changes in backbone conformations of the SmA layers with decreasing temperature create the conditions for molecular corrugations of the side chains leading to the formation of the nematic order of N_re phases.     

Synthesis, characterization and liquid-crystal-aligning properties of novel aromatic polypyromellitimides bearing (n-alkyloxy)biphenyloxy side chains

Novel aromatic polypyromellitimides bearing (n-alkyloxy)biphenyloxy side chains were prepared by two-step polycondensation of 1,4-phenylenediamine (PDA) and biphenyl-4,4′-diamine (BZ) with 3,6-bis[4′-(n-alkyloxy)biphenyl-4-oxy]pyromellitic dianhydrides (C_mB-PMDAs, m = 6, 8, 10, 12), which had been synthesized by the nucleophilic substitution of N,N′-diphenyl-3,6-dibromopyromellitimides with sodium 4-(n-alkyloxy)biphenoxides. Inherent viscosities of the poly(amic acid)s were in the 0.26-0.62 dL/g range. Poly{1,4-phenylene-3,6-bis[4′-(n-alkyloxy)biphenyl-4-oxy]pyromellitimide}s (C_mB-PPIs) and poly{4,4′-biphenyl-3,6-bis[4′-(n-alkyloxy)biphenyl-4-oxy]pyromellitimide}s (C_mB-BPIs) obtained in films by thermal imidization of the corresponding poly(amic acid)s were characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and elemental analysis, and their crystalline structure and thermal properties were measured and discussed with respect to the side chain length. After the polyimide films were surface-treated by rubbing with velvet fibers, standard liquid crystal (LC) cells containing 4-cyano-4′-n-pentylbiphenyl (5CB) were fabricated and their LC-aligning properties were investigated in terms of pretilt angle. The pretilt angles were remarkably affected by side chain length and on surface of the polyimides with m = 6 and 8 LCs aligned parallel to the rubbing direction while on surface of the polyimides with m = 10 and 12 they aligned nearly or completely vertical to the rubbing direction.     

Poly(ethyl-n-butylsilylene): Structural,thermal, and flow properties of a liquid crystalline polysilane

Poly(ethyl-n-butylsilylene) (PEBS) was synthesized by sodium coupling of ethyl-n-butyldichorosilane and separated into fractions with differing molecular weights,M _w=1.4×10⁶ and 2.0×10⁴. Both fractions were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and by X-ray diffraction, UV spectroscopy, polarizing optical microscopy, and capillary rheometry, all as a function of temperature. Both samples adopt a hexagonal columnar liquid crystalline structure at room temperature and below. They undergo a weak endothermic transition at ?20°C and a first-order phase transition to a nematic liquid crystalline form at 90°C for the low and 170°C for the highM _w fraction. Melting to an isotropic liquid takes place at 106°C for the low and 185°C for the highM _w polymer. Both samples undergo two successive thermochromic transitions in the UV, one near the first-order exothermic transition and one near the ?20°C transition; the reasons underlying these thermochromic transitions are discussed. Flow properties of PEBS were investigated as a function of molecular weight.     

Synthesis and characterization of novel random copolymers based on PBN: Influence of thiodiethylene naphthalate co-units on its polymorphic behaviour

Poly(butylene/thiodiethylene naphthalate) copolymers (PBN-PTDEN) were synthesized in bulk according to the usual polycondensation procedure and examined by NMR, GPC, TGA, DSC and XRD techniques. At room temperature they appeared as semicrystalline materials; the copolymerization caused a lowering in the T_g value, a decrement of T_m and of the crystallization rate. Pure α- or β′-form was obtained at low and high TDEN unit content, respectively; crystalline form transition never occurred in the solid state, analogously to PBN. After cooling from the melt, the pure α-form was always evidenced in PBN-PTDEN10, whereas the pure β′ crystal phase develops in the copolymers containing 30 and 40 mol% TDEN units, independently on the cooling rate. In the case of PBN-PTDEN20 a pure α- or β′-form was obtained at low and high cooling rate, respectively.     

Shear thickening behavior of dilute poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) aqueous solutions

Using dynamic light scattering (DLS) and capillary dynamic viscoelasticity (DVE) analyzer, we investigated dilute (0.5 mg/ml) poly(diallyl dimethyl ammonium chloride) (PDADMAC) aqueous solution properties for three different molecular weights of PDADMACs mixed with various concentrations of NaCl. The dependence of PDADMAC molecular chain conformations in aqueous solutions on polymer molecular weight and NaCl concentration were studied. By analyzing dynamic shear viscosity η′(ω), viscoelastic relaxation times t_r, and shear rate at tube wall ?_a(ω) of PDADMAC aqueous solutions in oscillatory flows, we proposed that polymer chain conformations varied with increasing shear frequency ω via the following steps: intra-polymer associations, dissociation of intra-polymer associations, stretching of polymer chains, inter-polymer aggregations, and dissociations of inter-polymer aggregations. The intra-polymer associations lowered the n′ exponent of storage modulus G′(ω) (G′(ω) ∼ ω^n′) with n′ < 2, and the polymer chain stretching and inter-polymer aggregations caused shear thickening (i.e. upturn of η′(ω)) of PDADMAC aqueous solutions. The behaviors of the lowering of n′ exponent with n′ < 2 and the shear thickening were favored by increasing ionic strength of solutions. By comparing η′(ω) data with DLS hydrodynamic radii (R_h) data, we also confirmed the possibility of inter-polymer aggregations in dilute solutions when polymer chains were stretched in oscillatory flows.     

Theoretical studies of the electronic structures and optical properties of stable blue-emitting polymer based on 4H-cyclopenta-[def]-phenanthrene

Geometries, ionization potentials (IPs), electron affinities (EAs) and optical properties of two series of π-conjugated oligomers (2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylthexyl)-4H-cyclopenta-[def]-phenanthrene))_nCPPn (2,6-(4,4-bis(2-ethylthexyl)-8,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta-[def]-phenanthrene))_nHCPPn (n = 1-4) were studied theoretically. The ground and the excited state geometries were optimized by B3LYP and CIS methods with 6-31G^∗ basis sets, respectively. The absorption and the emission spectra were calculated by TD-B3LYP method. The lowest-lying absorption is assigned to π → π^∗ transition, and the fluorescence can be described as originating from the ¹[ππ^∗] excited state. IPs, EAs, H-L gaps, absorption and emission properties of PCPP (n = ∞) and PHCPP (n = ∞) were obtained by extrapolation method. The fact that the lowest-lying absorption and the emission of PCPP are blue-shifted compared with those of PHCPP, can be interpreted by the smaller effective repeating units of PCPP. The extra absorption band at 289 nm of PCPP is contributed by the π → π^∗ transition involving the extra π-conjugation CC bond.     

Phase behaviour of a liquid crystalline polyetherester derived from 4′-hydroxy-1,1′-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid and the ether-diol 4-(3-hydroxypropoxy)butan-1-ol

The phase behaviour of PBO3O4, a liquid crystalline polyetherester derived from 4′-hydroxy-1,1′-biphenyl-4-carboxylic acid and the ether-diol 4-(3-hydroxypropoxy)butan-1-ol, has been investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), real-time synchrotron X-ray diffraction, optical microscopy and solid-state ¹³C NMR. The results reveal an interesting polymesomorphism in PBO3O4, since, on cooling from the melt, a low-order smectic mesophase is obtained first, followed by a smooth transition into a slightly more ordered mesophase, and a final transition to a phase with a relatively high degree of order, stable at room temperature. The subsequent melting shows enantiotropic behaviour but, interestingly, the more ordered phase presents a considerably low undercooling. The ¹³C NMR results in the solid-state of the ordered phase show that a single relaxation time (and a single line shape for each particular carbon signal) is exhibited by PBO3O4. This fact, plus the low undercooling, suggests the formation of a highly ordered mesophase, instead of a three-dimensional crystal, which is the case of the corresponding polyester with the same spacer, or of the polyetherester with an all-methylene spacer. Additional experiments about the phase behaviour of the starting monomer for the synthesis of PBO3O4, reveal that a highly ordered mesophase is also obtained for the monomer, with a diffractogram rather similar to that exhibited by the ordered mesophase of the polymer.     

Long terminal linear alkyl group as internal crystallization accelerating moiety of poly(l-lactide)

Poly(l-lactide) (PLLA) polymers having terminal n-alkyl groups with a wide variety of lengths (C₀–C₂₂) were synthesized by ring-opening polymerization of l-lactide in the presence of coinitiators of l-lactic acid (C₀), 1-hexanol (C₆), 1-dodecanol (C₁₂), and 1-docosanol (C₂₂) and their segmental mobility and non-isothermal and isothermal crystallization behavior were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and wide-angle X-ray diffractometry (WAXD). Glass transition and cold crystallization temperatures of melt-quenched samples during heating decreased with an increase in the length of terminal n-alkyl groups. The enhanced PLLA segmental mobility and hydrophobic interaction-based accelerated PLLA nucleation by the presence of terminal long n-alkyl groups should have caused the accelerated non-isothermal and isothermal crystallization of PLLA segments traced by cold crystallization temperature during heating and by radial growth rate of spherulites, respectively. The crystallization accelerating effect became higher with the length of terminal n-alkyl groups. The effects of the length of terminal n-alkyl group on the crystalline growth mechanism of PLLA at the lowest crystallizable temperature was insignificant, whereas the effects of the length of terminal n-alkyl group on the nucleation mechanism of PLLA chains were significant and insignificant for PLLA having M_n of 6–7 × 10³ of 2 × 10⁴ g mol⁻¹, respectively. WAXD measurements revealed that the transition crystallization temperature at which crystalline modification changes from δ-form to α-form was affected by the length of terminal n-alkyl group for PLLA having M_n of 6–7 × 10³ g mol⁻¹, but was not altered by the length of terminal n-alkyl group for PLLA having M_n of 2 × 10⁴ g mol⁻¹.     

1,2,3-Triazolium-based poly(acrylate ionic liquid)s

Nitroxide-mediated radical polymerization of a tailor-made acrylate carrying a 1,2,3-triazole group with an undecanoyl spacer affords a well-defined (M_n = 7860 g mol⁻¹ and D = 1.39) neutral polyacrylate precursor. A series of 1,2,3-triazolium-based poly(ionic liquid)s (TPILs) is then obtained by straightforward quaternization of the 1,2,3-triazole groups with methyl iodide and subsequent anion metathesis reactions. Among the prepared materials, TPIL with bis(trifluoromethane)sulfonimide anion exhibits low glass transition temperature (T_g = −40 °C), high thermal stability (T_d10 = 325 °C) and anhydrous ionic conductivity of 4 × 10⁻⁶ S cm⁻¹ at 30 °C, as measured by differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetric analysis and broadband dielectric spectroscopy, respectively.