Polymer Journal
Vol. 39, No. 3 (March, 2007)

[Award Accounts: SPSJ Award (2005)] Web Release Date: January 24, 2007

193-207 Living Olefin Polymerization and Block Copolymer Formation with FI Catalysts  A. Sakuma, M.-S. Weiser, and T. Fujita [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Fluorinated bis(phenoxy-imine)Ti complexes (fluorinated Ti-FI catalysts) induce unprecedented living polymerization with both ethylene and propylene. This results from the attractive interaction of the ortho-F with the beta-H of the growing polymer chain, thus stabilizing it against termination. Such unprecedented living nature enables us to synthesize a wide variety of unique polymers including polyolefinic block copolymers and telechelic polymers. The novel polymers created by fluorinated Ti-FI catalysts display unique morphologies and useful material properties.

[Short Communication] Web Release Date: January 24, 2007

208-212 Formation of Reinforcing Inorganic Network in Polymer via Hydrogen Bonding Self-Assembly Process  M. Du, B. Guo, M. Liu, and D. Jia [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Reinforcing strategy for polymer with inorganics irrespective of the interfacial bonding between the inorganics and the polymer was developed by constructing inorganics network in polymer via hydrogen bonding self-assembly process. Specifically, we use naturally occurred halloysite nanotubes as inorganic hydrogen-bonding coupler (IHC) and specific species such as melamine as the organic hydrogen-bonding couplers (OHC). The pair of IHC and OHC forms strong inorganic network via hydrogen bonding in the polymer during processing. By this methodology, the modulus of the composite material is increased remarkably.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: February 9, 2007

213-219 Synthesis and Fluorescent Properties of End-Functional PSt Initiated by 5-Chloromethyl-2-methoxy-benzaldehyde via ATRP  Q.-F. Xu, J.-M. Lu, Z. Yang, X.-W. Xia, and L.-H. Wang [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The ATRP of St using 5-chloromethyl-2-methoxy-benzaldehyde (CMMB) as novel initiator was proceeded with the high initiation efficiency. Compared with the similar initiator, 5-chloromethyl-2-hydroxy-benzaldehyde (CMOB) at the same polymerization conditions, CMMB was considered as a better initiator for ATRP than CMOB. When the aldehyde group in CMMB was turned into Schiff base and coordinated with Zn(II), the fluorescent emission of polymer PSt-CH2-MBAP was strengthened while the coordination didn′t improve the emission of Zinc(II) obviously.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: January 24, 2007

220-229 Preparation of Amphiphilic Polysilsesquioxane by Grafting of Block Copolymer of Acrylamide Monomers  T. Masuda, S. Yamamoto, O. Moriya, M. Kashio, and T. Sugizaki [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The polysilsesquioxane having dithiocarbamate groups was used for the graft polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and N,N-dimethylacrylamide by RAFT process. The controlled graft polymerization gave several kinds of the polysilsesquioxanes having the block copolymers, in which the sequence and the number of the monomer units were changed. The introduction of the block copolymer provided an amphiphilic property to the polysilsesquioxaneane. The sequence and molecular weight of the grafted copolymers influenced on the property, which was shown as the solubility in water and contact angle.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: January 24, 2007

230-238 Incompletely Condensed Silsesquioxanes: Formation and Reactivity  D. W. Lee and Y. Kawakami [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Hydrolysis of trimethoxy- or triethoxyphenylsilane in refluxing water-i-propanol or -i-butanol mixture, catalyzed by sodium hydroxide gave cyclic sym-cis tetraphenylsilsesquioxanetetraol tetrasodium salt (T4ONa) as the initial product. By refluxing the system for a few hours, the major product turned to heptaphenylsilsesquioxanetriol trisodium salt (T7ONa). With longer stirring at r.t., a tetrasodium salt, 5,11,14,17-tetra(sodio)tetracyclo[7.3.3.33,7]octasilsesquioxane (DDT8ONa), was obtained in high yield.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: February 2, 2007

239-244 Lipase-Catalyzed Selective Synthesis and Micellization of Poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) Copolymer Possessing a Carboxylic Acid Group at the PEG Chain End  M. Oishi, S. Ikeo, and Y. Nagasaki [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A novel poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone) (PEG-b-PCL) copolymer possessing a carboxylic acid group at the PEG chain end was prepared by the one-pot lipase-catalyzed polymerization of ε-CL using an α-carboxylic acid-ω-hydroxy-PEG as a macroinitiator. The PEG-b-PCL copolymer spontaneously forms a polymeric micelle with negative value of the zeta potential due to the existence of the reactive carboxylic acid groups on the surface of the PEG-b-PCL micelles, indicating that carboxylic acid end-functionalized PEG-b-PCL copolymer was successfully prepared.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: February 9, 2007

245-251 Photosensitive Poly(benzoxazole) Based on Poly(o-hydroxy amide), Dissolution Inhibitor, Thermoacid Generator, and Photoacid Generator  T. Ogura, K. Yamaguchi, Y. Shibasaki, and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A positive-type photosensitive polybenzoxazole (PSPBO) based on a poly(o-hydroxy amide) (PHA), a dissolution inhibitor (DI) 9,9-bis(4-tert-butoxycarbonyloxyphenyl)fluorene (t-BocBHF), a thermoacid generator (TAG) isopropyl p-toluenesufonate (ITS), and a photoacid generator (PAG) (5-propylsulfonyloxyimino-5H-thiophene-2-ylidene)-(2-methylphenyl)acetonitrile (PTMA) has been developed. As a result, the ITS is effective as a TAG for improving the sensitivity and low temperature cyclization of PHA into the PBO as well to meet practical requirement in the industry.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: February 9, 2007

252-258 Synthesis of Novel Glass-Forming Liquid Crystals Containing Acrylic Acid Trimer Core Unit and Mesogenic Moiety, and Their Use in Cholesteric Reflection Films  S. Nakanishi and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A novel medium molecular mass liquid-crystalline (LC) material to form glassy nematic phase has been developed to provide uniformly aligned LC films. The LC material consists of an acrylic acid trimer as a core structure and a mesogenic moiety. The resulting LC trimer showed a nematic LC phase and vitrified to form monodomain films at room temperature. This glassy LC trimer is miscible with a chiral photochromic dopant, providing monodomain, aligned, defect-free cholesteric reflection films, the color of which is tunable by UV irradiation.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: February 9, 2007

259-266 Monte Carlo Simulation of a Model System for Ferroelectric Phase Transition in Polymers  D. Fukuzawa, A. Nishioka, T. Koda, and S. Ikeda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A model for ferroelectric phase transitions in VDF-TrFE copolymers has been examined using MC simulation. As seen in the figure, the specific heat becomes the maximum at an intra- vs. inter-molecular interaction ratio where temperature hysteresis of the transition vanishes. It suggests that the phase transition is changed from first order transition to diffuse one through the second order transition. Furthermore, it was predicted that the transformation mechanism is changed from nucleation and growth to spinodal decomposition with variation of the interaction ratio.

[Note] Web Release Date: February 2, 2007

267-270 Allowable Mechanical Stress Applied to a Spider′s Lifeline  S. Osaki [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Spider′s weight W divided by cross-section area S of draglines is plotted against W. W/S was determined to be ca. 78± 8 MPa for juvenile spiders weighing less than 50 mg (a) and to be ca. 155± 12 MPa for adult spiders weighing more than 50 mg (b). The actual stress applied to the draglines is about half of elastic limit stress (ES) for adult spiders weighing more than 50 mg and about 1/3 of ES for juvenile spiders weighing less than 50 mg.

[Note] Web Release Date: February 2, 2007

271-275 Direct Observation of an Isolated Cyclic Sodium Poly(styrenesulfonate) Molecule by Atomic Force Microscopy  D. Kawaguchi, T. Nishu, A. Takano, and Y. Matsushita [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

An isolated cyclic sodium poly(styrenesulfonate) on a mica substrate was observed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The apparent contour length of the molecules was in good agreement with the calculated one from its molecular weight. Hence, the ring-shaped structure of a synthetic cyclic polymer was first confirmed on the basis of the direct observation of the individual chain by AFM.