Polymer Journal
Vol. 39, No. 8 (August, 2007)

[Award Accounts: SPSJ Wiley Award (2006)] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

749-758 Three-Dimensional Imaging in Polymer Science: Its Application to Block Copolymer Morphologies and Rubber Composites  H. Dohi, H. Kimura, M. Kotani, T. Kaneko, T. Kitaoka, T. Nishi, and H. Jinnai [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

New methods to visualize polymer morphologies in three-dimension (3D) are reviewed. Here, one such imaging technique, transmission electron microtomography, was used for the first time to characterize the morphological change in a silica particle/rubber composite under stretching. Aggregates of particles were broken down upon stretching and many voids were generated near and between the particles. Local stress was inferred from the image intensity of the 3D image. The thickness of the specimen after stretching was thinner than what is expected from the affine deformation.

[Short Communication] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

760-761 Novel Method to Protect Electronics Devices from Electrostatic Charging using Electrostatic Series of Polymers  M. Kawata, T. Hayakawa, and M. Kakimoto [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

In manufacturing for electric devices, small and light chip devices stick on the cover tape of container when the cover tape is opened. This phenomenon caused by electrostatic charging of device, and the electrostatic gravity is generated between electric device and cover tape. We discover a simple method to adjust the electrostatic series at the surface of polymer blends as shown in Figure. By using this technique, the difference of the charging density between the surfaces of the packaging polymers and small electronics devices can be minimized to prevent damage by the electrostatic charging.

[Short Communication] Web Release Date: June 26, 2007

762-763 Synthesis of Multifunctional Poly(calix[4]resorcinarene)  J. Jeerupan, G. Konishi, T. Nemoto, D. Shin, and Y. Nakamoto [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The preparation of a poly(calixresorcinarene) from calixresorcinarene permethyl ether (2), formaldehyde, and sodium bromide (NaBr) via simultaneous phenol-formaldehyde condensation and bromomethylation process is described. This polymer (3) consists of a calixarene as the cavity in the main chain and the bromomethylphenyl group as a reactive site attached to the backbone. The structure of 3 was confirmed by 1H NMR, FT-IR spectra and elemental analysis. The molecular weight and thermal properties of 3 are also discussed.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 19, 2007

764-776 Asymmetric Polymerization of (S)-N-Maleoyl-L-Leucine Allyl Ester and Chiral Recognition Ability of Its Polymer as Chiral Stationary Phase for HPLC  H. Gao, Y. Isobe, K. Onimura, and T. Oishi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Asymmetric polymerizations were carried out to obtain optically active poly((S)-ALMI)s using the novel monomer (S)-N-Maleoyl-L-leucine allyl ester ((S)-ALMI). In anionic polymerization, the (S)-ALMI enables the double bonds in the maleimide moiety to be exclusively polymerized, retaining potentiality for polymerization or reaction of the other double bonds in the side group of the N-substituent. CD spectra analysis displayed that the anionically obtained poly((S)-ALMI)s with high levorotations possess asymmetric carbons in the main chain induced through the polymerizations in addition to that in the intrinsic N-substituent.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 19, 2007

777-782 Synthesis of Poly(N-fluoroalkyl benzamide) with Controlled Molecular Weight and Polydispersity Index  K. Ohshimizu, Y. Shibasaki, and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Poly(N-fluoroalkyl benzamide) with the controlled Mn and Mw/Mn was prepared by the chain-growth polycondensation of 4-(N-1,1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,5,5,6,6-tridecafluorooctylamino)benzoylbenzoxazolin-2-thione initiated with p-nitrobenzoyl chloride using EtMgBr as an activator. The Mn was tailored up to 25,000 by changing the feed ratio of the monomer and initiator, while the Mw/Mn was maintained below 1.2. The contact angle of the polymer film against a water droplet was 105.0, which was higher than 91.0 for poly(N-octyl benzamide), indicating the monomer 3 could be applicable to prepare a novel amphiphilic block copolymer.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 19, 2007

783-791 Characterization of Wormlike Pentaoxyethylene Dodecyl Ether C12E5 Micelles Containing n-Dodecanol  M. Miyake and Y. Einaga [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

For the C10E5, C12E5, and C12E6 micelles containing n-dodecanol, the spacing s between the hydrophilic tails of adjacent surfactant molecules on the micellar surface decreased and the stiffness parameter λ−1 increased with increasing n-dodecanol content wd in the micelles. They were substantially independent of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic chain length of the surfactant molecules.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 19, 2007

792-801 Wormlike Micelles of Hexaoxyethylene Decyl C10E6 and Tetradecyl C14E6 Ethers Containing n-Dodecanol  Y. Einaga, M. Ebihara, and R. Uchida [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Molar mass Mw dependence of the apparent hydrodynamic radius RH,app for the C10E6 + n-dodecanol + water system of wd (dodecanol content in the micelles) = 0.0704 (a) and for the C14E6 + n-dodecanol + water system of wd=0.0195 (b) at various temperatures T indicated; The solid and dashed lines represent the theoretical values of RH,app, which include effects of growth in micellar size with concentration c along with hydrodynamic and direct collision interactions among micelles, and the hydrodynamic radius RH for the isolated micelles, respectively.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

802-812 Effect of Carboxylic Acid Monomer Type on Particle Nucleation and Growth in Emulsifier-free Emulsion Copolymerization of Styrene-Carboxylic Acid Monomer  M. Abdollahi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Carboxylated polystyrene latexes were prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion copolymerization of styrene with various carboxylic acid monomers. DLS analysis and SEM observations showed that Np increases with increasing the hydrophobicity of carboxylic acid monomers in the order of IA < AA < MAA. There was significant difference in the polymerization rate per particle in all the experiments also. The results revealed that the both particle nucleation and growth processes are dependent on the hydrophilic nature of carboxylic acid monomers.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

813-821 Synthesis of Tropolone-Containing Conjugated Polymers and Their Optical Properties  K. Takagi, K. Saiki, K. Mori, Y. Yuki, and M. Suzuki [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Novel tropolone-containing conjugated polymers were obtained by the palladium-catalyzed coupling polymerization. The polymer structure was characterized by 1H NMR and IR spectra to support the formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bond. The optical properties of polymers bearing a protected hydroxyl group or a free hydroxyl group were investigated by measuring the UV and PL spectra.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 26, 2007

822-827 One-Pot and Rapid Synthesis of Uniformed Silica Spheres via Mediation of Linear Poly(ethyleneimine)s and Dyes  R.-H. Jin and J.-J. Yuan [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Uniformed silica spheres with bright dye emission feature were facilely mediated by poly(ethyleneimine)s with linear and star architectures. Diameters of the spheres were ranged from 50 to 600 nm depending upon the polymers′ architectures and mediation conditions.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 26, 2007

828-833 Mechanical and Dielectric Properties of a New Polymer Blend Composed of 1,2-Bis(vinylphenyl)ethane and Thermosetting Poly(phenylene ether) Copolymer Obtained from 2,6-Dimethylphenol and 2-Allyl-6-methylphenol  J. Nunoshige, H. Akahoshi, Y. Liao, S. Horiuchi, Y. Shibasaki, and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A novel low-dielectric-loss thermosetting material was prepared by blending poly(2-allyl-6-methylphenol-co-2,6-dimethylphenol) (Allyl-PPE) with 1,2-bis(vinylphenyl)ethane (BVPE). BVPE was effectively functioned as a cure promoter of Allyl-PPE, so that the cured temperature was under 250 °C, and it showed good thermal property and better thermomechanical properties than that of PPE-BVPE blended resin because of the better miscibility of the two components. The small domain was observed by EELS technique. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were varied by changing the components ratio of Allyl-PPE and BVPE.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: June 26, 2007

834-840 Macroscopic Deformation and Failure of Ductile Polyethylene: The Dominant Role of Entangled Amorphous Network  B. Na, R. Lv, Q. Zhang, and Q. Fu [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The dominant role of entangled network in the macroscopic deformation and failure behaviors of ductile polyethylene has been demonstrated by tensile and fracture toughness (EWF) tests. Stiffer entangled network with higher molecular weight corresponds to lower strain at break as well as permanent strain. The fracture toughness of ductile polyethylene can be well correlated with the relaxation of the entangled amrophous networks.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 3, 2007

841-844 Extremely Rapid Synthesis of Aliphatic Polyesters by Direct Polycondensation of 1:1 Mixtures of Dicarboxylic Acids and Diols Using Microwaves  S. Velmathi, R. Nagahata, and K. Takeuchi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

We report a rapid, environmentally benign, solvent-free method for the synthesis of aliphatic polyesters by the direct polycondensation of equimolar quantities of a dicarboxylic acid and a diol assisted by microwave irradiation in the presence tin(II) chloride as a catalyst.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 3, 2007

845-852 Curing Behavior of Epoxy Resin Initiated by Amine-Containing Inclusion Complexes  N. Amanokura, M. Kaneko, T. Sahara, and R. Sato [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Amine compounds form inclusion complexes with 1,1,2,2-tetrakis(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethane (TEP). When these inclusion complexes compounds are reacted with epoxy resins, curing acceleration, pot life extension, and higher curing temperatures are observed. An explanation for this curing behavior is that guest molecule “amine compounds” are trapped in inclusion complex crystals. X-ray crystal structure data shows the existence of O-H–N hydrogen bonding. With the imidazole molecule in the inclusion complex, hydrogen bonding prevents easy attack of the epoxy ring.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 3, 2007

853-860 Conformational Transformation of Poly(β-phenetyl-L-aspartate) in Block Copolymer with Polystyrene in 1,1,2,2-Tetrachloroethane  T. Itoh, T. Iwai, E. Ihara, and K. Inoue [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Block copolymers where polystyrene (PS) was attached to N- or C-terminus of poly(β-phenetyl-L-aspartate) (PA) were prepared. Temperature dependence of PA conformation in 1,1,2,2-tetrachloroethane were studied by 1H NMR. NH proton signals indicate significant differences of the conformational behavior between the two types of the block copolymers.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 3, 2007

861-873 Synthesis of A Main Chain-Type Polyrotaxane Consisting of Poly(crown ether) and sec-Ammonium Salt Axle and Its Application to Polyrotaxane Network  Y. Kohsaka, G. Konishi, and T. Takata [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A main chain-type polyrotaxane was synthesized by the initial threading of sec-ammonium axle into poly(crown ether) to polypseudorotaxane followed by end-capping of the axle terminal with a bulky aromatic isocyanate. The complete pseudorotaxanation (> 99%) was achieved, while the incorporation ratio of the axle moiety was finely controllable. The polypseudorotaxane was utilized for the preparation of a new type of polyrotaxane network.

[Note] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

874-877 Core Phase Transition of Radiation-Modified Polysilane Micelles as Revealed from Their Thermochromism  H. Tanaka, N. Sato, T. Matsuyama, R. Inoue, and T. Kanaya [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The phase transition of core chains in the micelles of radiation-synthesized poly(methyl-n-propylsilane)-graft-poly(acrylic-acid) copolymers was revealed from their thermochromism. UV spectral change discloses that the solid core of the micelles changes into the molten state with increasing temperature. The molten state was found to be the third state of the polysilane micelle core. It was also demonstrated that polysilane is applicable as a stimuli-responsive optical probe molecule.

[Note] Web Release Date: June 12, 2007

878-881 Correlation of Morphology of Electrospun Fibers with Rheology of Linear Polyacrylamide Solution  A. A. Vetcher, R. Gearheart, and V. N. Morozov [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The morphology of the products of electrospinning aqueous solutions of linear polyacrylamide (PAA) of different molecular weights was studied in a broad range of concentrations (from 0.01% to 13%), in search of conditions favoring formation of uniform bead-free electrospun fibers. It was shown by AFM and optical microscopy that electrospinning generates uniform fibers when the PAA concentration (C) exceeds the entanglement concentration (Ce), and that the average diameter of the fibers is independent of molecular weight but is proportional to (C/Ce).

[Note] Web Release Date: June 19, 2007

882-887 Synthesis of Sulfonated Poly(1,4-diphenoxybenzene) for Proton Exchange Membrane  K. Matsumoto, S. Ando, and M. Ueda [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A new synthetic method of polyphenylene (PP) has been developed. PP was easily prepared by oxidative coupling polymerization of 1,4-diphenoxybenzene with FeCl3 as an oxidant with a number-average molecular weight of 11,000 Da. The sulfonated polymer with a ion-exchange capacity of 2.3 mequiv/g showed high proton conductivity of 2× 10−1 S/cm at 80 °C and 95% relative humidity, which is comparable to that of Nafion N-115.