Polymer Journal
Vol. 38, No. 5 (May, 2006)

Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

405-418 Recent Development of Photosensitive Polybenzoxazoles  K. Fukukawa and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

In microelectronics industry, photosensitive polybenzoxazoles (PSPBOs) have been attracting great attention as insulating materials. This article reviews recent works on developments of PSPBOs, involving a brief introduction, typical PSPBO formulations, facile synthetic methods, highly performing PSPBOs (on sensitivity, transparency, low-k, etc), an efficient catalyst for low-temperature cyclization of poly(o-hydroxy amide) (PHA) into PBO and so on, with future prospects at the end.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

419-431 Thermal, Electrical and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-high Molecular Weight Polypropylene and Carbon Filler Composites  X. Jiang, Y. Bin, N. Kikyotani, and M. Matsuo [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

UHMWPP composites filled with MWNTs, VGCFs and CFs with different aspect ratio were prepared by gelation/crystallization from solutions. The electric conductivity of UHMWPP-MWNT composite film was the highest and the best thermal property among the three kinds of composite film when the the filler contents and the draw ratios were the same. On the other hand, Young’s modulus of the drawn UHMWPP-VGCF composites was the highest. This indicates that the properties of the composites were sensitive to the aspect ratio associated with the flexibility of fillers.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

432-441 Theoretical Comparison between Three-Point and Two-Point Binding Modes for Chiral Discrimination upon the N-Terminal Sequence of 310-Helix  Y. Inai, N. Ousaka, and Y. Miwa [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Complex structure and energy were theoretically predicted between the N-terminal segment of right-handed 310-helix (1) and various acids based on D-/L-amino acids (2–9). Energy minimization from the initial models assuming the three-point or two-point coordination was carried out by molecular orbital calculation. The three-point coordination (2–5), compared with the two-point type (6–9), generates larger difference in energies of D-/L-complexes (ΔED–L), which are more stable for combination of L-isomer and right-handed helix.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

442-446 Aromatic Polyesters with Flexible Side Chains. 10. Studies on Biaxiality in Nematic Liquid Crystal of BC-n Polyester  K. Fu, M. Sone, M. Tokita, and J. Watanabe [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Illustration of the biaxial nematic liquid crystal. Here, the main chains are associated with each other to form the layer as in the lower temperature layered mesophase or crystal (refer to (a)), but the layers are packed with a greater degree of disorder as in (b). To produce such a disorder, the layer may be constructed with only short-range correlation length. Then, the additional director, c, exists along the plane of layer.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

447-456 Synthesis of Photocrosslinkable Hyperbranched Polyesters with Terminal Methacryloyl Groups by the One-pot Polyaddition of Bis(oxetane)s with 1,3,5-Benzenetricarboxylic Acid and Methacrylic Acid  T. Nishikubo, H. Kudo, K. Maruyama, T. Nakagami, and H. Miyabe [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The hyperbranched poly(ester)s with pendant primary hydroxy, methacryloyl, and oxetanyl groups were synthesized by the one-pot method for the polyaddition of bis(oxetane)s with 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid (TMA) and methacrylic acid (MA) in the presence of tetraphenylphosphonium chloride (TPPC). Alkaline-developable photosensitive hyperbranched polymer was prepared by the addition reaction of the synthesized hyperbranched poly(ester) with cis-1,2,3,6-tetrahydrophthalic anhydride (THPA), and its patterning property was examined to give the resolution of a 55 μm line width pattern by UV irradiation with 500 mJ/cm2.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

457-470 Light-Color Soluble Polyimides Based on α,α’-Bis[4-(4-amino-2-trifluoromethylphenoxy)phenyl]-1,3-diisopropylbenzene and Aromatic Dianhydrides  C.-P. Yang, Y.-P. Chen, E.-M. Woo, and S.-H. Li [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A fluorine-containing crystalline diamine, α,α’-bis[4-(4-amino-2-trifluoromethyl phenoxy)phenyl]-1,3-diisopropylbenzene (II), was prepared through nucleophilic substitution reaction of 2-chloro-5-nitrobenzotrifluoride and α,α’-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-1,3-diisopropyl in the presence of potassium carbonate, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C. A series of polyimides (PIs) Va–f were then synthesized from this diamine (II) by polymerizing with various commercially available aromatic dianhydrides (IIIa–f). The Series-V exhibit better solubility, lighter color, and lower moisture absorption than the corresponding non-fluorinated counterpart of polyimides (Series-VI). Most polyimides had good mechanical properties and good thermal properties.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

471-476 Preparation of Polystyrene-Polyimide Particles by Dispersion Polymerization of Styrene Using Poly(amic acid) as a Stabilizer  S. Watanabe, K. Ueno, M. Murata, and Y. Masuda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Dispersion polymerization of styrene (S) and 4-(vinylbenzyl)trimethylammonium chloride was conducted in ethanol–water medium using various aromatic poly(amic acid)s (PAA) as stabilizers. The monodisperse particles with PAA were obtained in high yield using the optimum solvent depending on the PAA structure. The imidization of PAA on the particles proceeded with acetic anhydride and N,N-dimethylaminopyridine to form PS-polyimide (PS-PI) particles. The PS-PI particles were maintained in spherical shape by the thermal treatment up to 240 °C.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

477-483 Preparation and Characterization of Lyotropic Liquid Crystalline Aromatic Copolyamides Containing Twisty and Non-coplanar Moiety  P. Liu, Q. Liang, C. Liu, X. Jian, D. Hong, and Y. Li [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A series of aromatic copolyamides were prepared from 1,2-dihydro-2-(4-aminophenyl)-4-[4-(4-(aminophenoxyl)phenyl)](2H)phthalazin-1-one, p-phenylenediamine, 1,4-bis(4-aminophenoxy)benzene and terephthaloyl dichloride by low temperature solution polycondensation. The polymers were produced with high yields and relatively high inherent viscosities, ranging from 1.74 to 4.31 dL/g. The polymers had improved solubility and good thermal stability. WAXD measures indicated that these copolyamides were semicrystalline in nature. Most of the polymers exhibited nematic lyotropic liquid crystalline characteristics in some polar solutions.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

484-489 Electrochemical Polymerization of 6-(N-Allyl-1,1,2,2-tetrahydroperfluorodecyl)amino-1,3,5-triazine-2,4-dithiol Monosodium on Aluminum  F. Wang, K. Mori, and Y. Oishi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Polymer thin films prepared by electrochemical polymerization of triazinedithiol monosodium on aluminum plate, exhibit to be highly ordered and packing. Polymer films on the substrate of Al are used to fabricate parallel plate capacitors having capacitances of 1.33 to 2.06 μF/cm2. The relative dielectric constants of polymer films are very high to be in the range of 142 to 175.

[Note] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

490-494 Chromatographic Application of 3,4-Di-O-alkyl-(1→6)-2,5-anhydro-D-glucitol for Separation of Alkali and Alkaline Earth Metal Ions  T. Satoh, I. Otsuka, R. Sakai, K. Saitoh, S. Umeda, K. Tsuda, H. Hashimoto, and T. Kakuchi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The chromatographic property for the separation of alkali and alkaline earth metal halides has been studied using the HPLC columns packed with 3,4-di-O-alkyl-(1→6)-2,5-anhydro-D-glucitol-bound silica gels (alkyl: ethyl, Si-1a; methyl, Si-1b; allyl, Si-1c). For nitric acid solution as the mobile phase, silica gels Si-1a–c exhibited the separation characteristic for alkali metal chlorides, which eluted in the order of Li+<Na+ ≪ K+<Rb+<Cs+. For alkaline earth metal chlorides, the separation of Ba2+ toward Mg2+, Ca2+, and Sr2+ is observed.

[Note] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

495-497 Inclusion of Polyaniline in the Channel Constructed from Tris(2,3-naphthylenedioxy)cyclotriphosphazene  I. Yamaguchi and T. Yamamoto [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Standing an N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone solution containing PANI and NapCP gave an inclusion adduct, PANI/NapCP. Thermal stability of PANI was improved by inclusion in the channel constructed from NapCP. The quinoid rings in PANI in the inclusion adduct received reduction with N2H4. PANI in the inclusion adduct accepted I2-doping and was converted into a semiconducting material.

[Note] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

498-502 Morphology, Antimicrobial and Mechanical Properties of Nano-TiO2/Rubber Composites Prepared by Direct Blending  G. Lin, M. Tian, Y.-L. Lu, X.-J. Zhang, and L.-Q. Zhang [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The antimicrobial ability of rubber composites is dramatically improved by compounding small amount of nano-TiO2.

[Note] Web Release Date: May 15, 2006

503-506 Unique Physical Adsorption of Proteins onto Double Stranded Stereocomplex Films Composed of Stereoregular Poly(methyl methacrylate)s  T. Serizawa, K. Yamashita, and M. Akashi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The physical adsorption of human serum albumin (HSA), fibrinogen, and lysozyme onto ultrathin poly(methyl methacrylate) stereocomplex films with a double stranded surface structure, and onto single component films conventionally prepared, was analyzed using a quantitative quartz crystal microbalance technique. Both HSA and fibrinogen formed adsorbed monolayers, whereas lysozyme formed multilayers at greater concentrations. The maximum amount of adsorption and the apparent adsorption constants for the stereocomplex film were significantly different from those for the component homogeneous films.