Search results for "polymers"

Branched and Functionalized Polybutadienes by a Facile Two-Step Synthesis

2008

Anionic polymerization was used to prepare silane-endfunctionalized polybutadiene macromonomers with different molecular weights ranging from 9 000 to 34000 g .mol- 1 . These were polymerized by a hydrosilylation reaction in bulk to obtain branched polymers, using Karstedt's catalyst. Surprisingly, the addition of monofunctional silanes during the polymerization showed only a minimal effect concerning the degree of polymerization. Furthermore, it was possible to introduce a variety of functional silanes without increasing the overall number of reaction steps by a convenient AB 2 + A type "pseudocopolymerization" method. All branched polymers were analyzed by SEC, SEC-MALLS, SEC-viscosimetry…

Kinetic Analysis of “Living” Polymerization Processes Exhibiting Slow Equilibria. 5. Effect of Monomer Transfer in Cationic Polymerization and Simila…

1996

This work deals with the kinetics of polymerization processes with chain transfer to monomer and reversible formation of dormant species. Such a mechanism is typical for cationic polymerization in the presence of Lewis acids as co-initiators. The expressions of number- and weight-average degrees of polymerization and polydispersity index are derived rigorously for a mechanism with free ions as the active species, but it is also applied to other mechanisms, e.g., ion pairs as active species. Plots of polydispersity index versus monomer conversion can be easily computed on a PC computer even though the expressions for the weight-average degree of polymerization and the concentration of residu…

Detection and visualization of physical knots in macromolecules

2010

Abstract This manuscript provides a pedagogical introduction on how to determine and visualize simple physical knots occurring in polymers, proteins and DNA. We explain how the Alexander polynomial is computed and implemented in a simulation code, and how the structure can be simplified beforehand to save computer time. The concept of knottedness can also be extended in a statistical framework to chains which are not closed. The latter is exemplified by comparing statistics of knots in open random walks and closed random loops.

Nanodevices based on a novel galactosaminated phospholipid-polyaspartamide for liver targeting of a ribavirin prodrug

2011

Organobase-Catalyzed Synthesis of Multiarm Star Polylactide With Hyperbranched Poly(ethylene glycol) as the Core

2011

Multiarm star copolymers consisting of the polyether-polyol hyperbranched poly(ethylene glycol) (hbPEG) as core and poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) arms are synthesized via the organobase- catalyzed ring-opening polymerization of lactide using hbPEG as a multifunctional macroinitiator. Star copolymers with high molecular weights up to 792 000 g mol−1 are prepared. Detailed 2D NMR analysis provides evidence for the attachment of the PLLA arms to the core and reveals that the adjustment of the monomer/initiator ratio enables control of the arm length. Size exclusion chromatography measurements show narrow molecular weight distributions. Thermal analysis reveals a lower glass transition temperature, me…

Miscibility and properties of linear poly(l-lactide)/branched poly(l-lactide) copolyester blends

2006

Abstract Polymer blends consisting of linear poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) and different proportions of dendritic PLLA-based copolyesters ( hb -PLLA) characterized by different degrees of branching (DB) were obtained in melt. The solid-state properties of poly( l -lactide)s and their blends were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), atomic force microscopy (AFM) and stress–strain measurements. DSC and DMA methods proved miscibility of PLLA/ hb -PLLA blends for the studied composition range. AFM indicated that no phase separation occurs in PLLA/ hb -PLLA blends and that PLLA and hb -PLLA cocrystallize in one single lamellae type. The mechanica…

Poly(isoglycerol methacrylate)-b-poly(d or l-lactide) Copolymers: A Novel Hydrophilic Methacrylate as Building Block for Supramolecular Aggregates

2010

On the basis of a new acetal-protected glycerol monomethacrylate monomer (cis-1,3-benzylidene glycerol methacrylate/BGMA) a series of potentially biocompatible and partially biodegradable homo- and block copolymers were synthesized. ATRP polymerization of BGMA yielded well-defined polyacrylates with pendant benzylidene acetal groups and high glass transition temperatures (115−130 °C). This hydrophobic poly(cis-1,3-benzylidene glycerol methacrylate) could be readily transformed into the hydrophilic and water-soluble poly(1,3-dihydroxypropyl methacrylate), referred to as poly(isoglycerol methacrylate) (PIGMA). It exclusively contains primary hydroxyl groups and therefore differs significantly…

Multi-Arm Star Poly(L-lactide) with Hyperbranched Polyglycerol Core

2007

Biocompatible multi-arm star block copolymers based on poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) have been prepared by a core-first approach, using hyperbranched polyglycerol (PG), a polyether polyol, as a polyfunctional initiator. The molecular weight of the hyperbranched initiator-core was varied from 2 200 to 5 200 g mol -1 , molecular weights of the resulting multi-arm stars were in the range of 6 700-107 000 g mol -1 (NMR), depending on the amount of dilactide (LA) added. Various monomer/initiator ratios have been employed in the Sn-catalyzed LA polymerization in order to vary the length of the lactide arms from DP n (arm) = 2 to 20 units. Detailed NMR analysis using conventional and 2D-NMR techniques (e…

Mercury(II) removal from aqueous solution by sorption onto alginate, pectate and polygalacturonate calcium gel beads. A kinetic and speciation based …

2013

Abstract Gel beads of calcium alginate, pectate and polygalacturonate salts have been tested as sorbent materials for mercury(II) removal from aqueous solutions. Physico-chemical properties of gel beads, defined by SEM–EDX, TGA and texture and density analysis, were correlated with gel beads sorption capacity towards Hg 2+ ion. A speciation study in aqueous solution was carried out to define the strength of interaction of mercury ion with the polymers investigated and to assess the more suitable experimental conditions to achieve the best effectiveness of Hg 2+ sorption by gel beads. On the basis of the speciation study, pH values in the 3–5.5 pH range were considered appropriated for mercu…

Poly(alkoxyphenylene-thienylene) Langmuir-Schäfer thin-films for advanced performance transistors

2005

Solution processed Langmuir-Scha ̈fer and cast thin films of regioregular poly(2,5-dioctyloxy-1,4- phenylene-alt-2,5-thienylene) are investigated as transistor active layers. The study of their field-effect properties evidences that no transistor behavior can be seen with a cast film channel material. This was not surprising considering the twisted conformation of the polymer backbone predicted by various theoretical studies. Strikingly, the Langmuir-Scha ̈fer (LS) thin films exhibit a field-effect mobility of 5 × 10-4 cm2/V‚s, the highest attained so far with an alkoxy-substituted conjugated polymer. Extensive optical, morphological, and structural thin-film characterization supports the a…