Quantification of response time in poly(vinyl alcohol)–metal complex thermochromic polymeric systems

Thermochromic poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA)‐based material was synthesized and an extensive study of its thermochromic behavior with respect to response time was carried out. It was observed that it is possible to manipulate the response time by keeping control over chemical and physical parameters. The response time, which is the most important property of a smart material, has in this case been found to be very much influenced by rate of heat transfer into the material. Different compositions of the thermochromic material and their corresponding response time with respect to rate of heat transfer were studied and correlated. First, a theoretical equation was derived and later on it was experimentally verified to quantify the response time in PVA–metal complex‐based thermochromic systems. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 100: 4832–4834, 2006     

Tensile mechanical properties of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and BPO4/SPEEK membranes

A study to evaluate the tensile mechanical properties of sulfonated poly(ether ether ketone) (SPEEK) and BPO₄/SPEEK composite membranes has been carried out. It is aimed to give an assessment of these materials for applications in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. The stress–strain response of the membranes was measured as a function of the degree of sulfonation (DS) and the filler–matrix ratio. In addition, the effects of immersion in water at various temperatures were explored in situ by means of a homemade testing chamber fitted to the tensile analyzer. The results indicate that the DS has an important influence on the final mechanical behavior of the membranes. The introduction of the BPO₄ solid filler leads to deterioration in mechanical performance compared to unfilled SPEEK. A general picture of the microstructural features influencing the mechanical properties of SPEEK and BPO₄/SPEEK membranes is proposed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 98: 2380–2393, 2005     

Fractionation of partially stereoregular poly(propylene oxide)

Partially stereoregular poly(propylene oxide) samples were synthesized via reactions catalysed by a preformed analytically defined trimethylaluminium hydrolysate. These samples were fractionated into two contrastingly different fractions.

1. (i) D-polymers: This fraction constituted the major part (up to 90%). It mainly contained cyclic low molecular weight oligomers (MW < 1000). The linear chains found in D-polymers had hydroxyl end groups. No double bonds could be detected spectroscopically.

2. (ii) K-polymers: This fraction was high molecular weight stereoregular polymer. Stepwise thermal precipitation from dilute isooctane solution of K-polymers yielded a succession of fractions which differed in melting point. It appears that the phase equilibria during the thermal precipitations were not controlled by the molecular weights of species.

有机锡化合物引发D,L-丙交酯的开环聚合

D,L-丙交酯在有机锡化合物四苯基锡(Ph4Sn)、三正丁基醋酸锡(Bu3SnOAc)、辛酸亚锡(SnOct2)等催化剂引发下开环聚合,得到高分子量的聚D,L-乳酸,讨论了聚合单体D,L-丙交酯纯度、聚合温度、聚合时间、聚合体系真空度以及引发剂有机锡催化剂与聚合单体D,L-丙交酯的比例对聚D,L-乳酸合成的影响,通过红外光谱和核磁共振光谱对聚D,L-乳酸的结构进行了表征。实验结果表明,D,L-丙交酯开环聚合反应的较佳工艺路线是:D,L-丙交酯重结晶5次,聚合温度140℃,聚合时间24 h,聚合体系真空度13.3~133.3 Pa,引发剂有机锡催化剂与单体D,L-丙交酯比例0.2‰~0.5‰,此时聚D,L-乳酸的粘均分子量最高,分别达到32.46×104,33.43×104和41.36×104。     

Nafcillin release from poly(acrylic acid–co–methyl methacrylate) hydrogels

Summary Copolymeric poly(acrylic acid-co-methyl methacrylate) hydrogels for three different compositions: (90/10), (80/20) and (60/40), have been studied. Drug release has been examined as a function of the hydrogel composition by HPLC (High Pressure Liquid Cromatography). The release experiments were carried out at 37 °C. The fraction of available drug release was linear in t^1/2. The values of the diffusional coefficient (0.50<n<1.0) indicate that the nafcillin release mechanism from the hydrogels in study is non-Fickian. The diffusion coefficients for this drug release have been calculated. The molecular diffusion of nafcillin through hydrogels is controlled by the swelling.     

黑液中的多糖对合成本素胺乳化剂的影响

直接以浓缩黑液为原料，通过环氧氯丙烷引入季铵基团制取阳离子型木素胺乳化剂。对产品和原料黑液做了剖析，证明黑液中的非本素有机物发生了胺化反应．应用试验证明这部分胺化产物具有助乳化和稳定乳液的作用。     

Structural changes and mechanical performance of recycled poly(vinyl chloride) bottles exposed to ultraviolet light at 313 nm

The structural changes and mechanical performance of virgin poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) bottle (VB) compounds blended with postconsumer PVC bottles collected from a specified factory (RB‐F) and houses (RB‐H), were examined before and after UV irradiation at 313‐nm UV wavelength for different periods of time up to 28 days. The results indicated that, when exposed to UV light, the RB‐F/VB blends containing greater conjugated double bonds with higher yellowness index appeared to exhibit better mechanical performance than that of the RB‐H/VB blends. It was found that the amount of conjugated double bonds was not a linear function of the discoloration level of PVC compounds. Tensile strength of the VB compounds was not affected when incorporated with RB‐F recyclate, but progressively decreased with increasing RB‐H recyclate. An optimum concentration for RB recyclates to be added into the virgin compound was recommended for obtaining a maximum impact strength. Both tensile and impact strengths decreased with increasing UV exposure time, a severe degradation being obvious after a UV exposure time of 21 days. Hardness was not affected significantly by the addition of PVC recyclate, but increased with increasing UV exposure time. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 84–94, 2004     

Chromatographic performance of monodisperse–macroporous particles produced by “modified seeded polymerization.” I: Effect of monomer/seed latex ratio

In this study, the monodisperse–macroporous particles produced by a relatively new polymerization protocol, the so‐called, “modified seeded polymerization,” were used as column‐packing material in the reversed phase chromatography (RPC) of proteins. The particles were synthesized in the form of styrene‐divinylbenzene copolymer approximately 7.5 μm in size. In the first stage of the synthesis, the monodisperse polystyrene particles 4.4 μm in size were obtained by dispersion polymerization and used as the “seed latex.” The seed particles were swollen by a low‐molecular‐weight organic agent and then by a monomer mixture. The monodisperse–macroporous particles were obtained by the polymerization of monomer mixture in the seed particles. In the proposed polymerization protocol, the number of successive swelling stages was reduced with respect to the present techniques by the use of sufficiently large particles with an appropriate average molecular weight as the seed latex. A series of particles with different porosity properties was obtained by varying the monomer/seed latex ratio. The separation behavior of HPLC columns including the produced particles as packing material was investigated in the RPC mode using a protein mixture including albumin, lysozyme, cytochrome c, and ribonuclease A. The chromatograms were obtained with different flow rates under an acetonitrile–water gradient. The theoretical plate number increased and chromatograms with higher resolutions were obtained with the particles produced by using a lower monomer/seed latex ratio. The separation ability of the column could be protected over a wide range of flow rates (i.e., 0.5–3 mL/min) with most of the materials tested. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 607–618, 2004     

Surface modification of a biomedical poly(ester)urethane by several low‐powered gas plasmas

Several low‐powered gas plasmas were employed to treat a biomedical poly(ester)urethane using the treatment gases of CO₂, O₂, NH₃, and SO₂ with different treatment time (2, 5, 10, and 15 min). The changes of the physical and chemical characteristics of the biopolymer surface were studied. Surface morphology was evaluated by scanning probe microscopy, which showed increased roughness of the surface after plasma treatment. The wettability of the surface was examined by static water contact angle (SCA) measurements, which presented that there was a decrease of SCA in all plasma treatments compared with the untreated surface and that each gas plasma had an optimum treatment time accompanied by a minimum contact angle. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the changes of the surface functional groups. The data demonstrated that CO₂ and O₂ plasmas resulted in the incorporation of oxygen‐containing groups, while NH₃ plasma resulted in the combination of nitrogen‐containing groups, and SO₂ plasma resulted in the formation of sulfur‐containing groups. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 101: 1273–1282, 2006