Polymer Journal
Vol. 41, No. 9 (September, 2009)

[Short Communication] Web Release Date: July 1, 2009

692-693 Synthesis and Characterization of Partially Fluorinated Poly(arylene ether) Containing Sulfofluorenyl Groups for Proton Exchange Membranes  L. Wang and G. Zhu [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Partially fluorinated poly(arylene ether) containing sulfofluorenyl groups was successfully synthesized. The sulfonation took place only at (2,7)-position on fluorenyl groups. The sulfonated polymer was very soluble in common organic solvents and could be readily cast into tough and smooth membrane. The membrane showed excellent stabilities resistance to both oxidation and hydrolysis. The membrane had higher proton conductivity than Nafion 117, which could be used as proton-exchangeable membrane for fuel-cell.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 1, 2009

694-701 Fluorescence Properties of Some Triazene Polyacrylates for Possible Sensor Applications  E. C. Buruiana, L. Stroea, and T. Buruiana [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Our approach concerning triazene polyacrylates with focus on their capability to emit fluorescence in DMF solution and thin polymeric films is described in correlation with photodecomposition of the triazene groups induced by UV irradiation. Following the fluorescence response toward the quenching transition metal ions (ex. Fe2+) it was established that apparent Stern-Volmer constants decrease in the order Fe3+ > Fe2+ > Cu2+ > Cu+, results that directly reflect the relative sensitivity of the method for the above metal ions.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 1, 2009

702-708 Anionic Ring-Opening Copolymerization of L-Lactide with a Five-Membered Cyclic Carbonate Having a Glucopyranoside Structure  O. Haba, N. Furuichi, and Y. Akashika [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The anionic ring-opening copolymerization of L-lactide (LL) with a five-membered cyclic carbonate having the glucopyranoside structure, methyl 4,6-O-benzilidene-2,3-O-carbonyl-α,D-glucopyranoside (MBCG), was carried out using t-BuOK as the initiator and THF as the solvent. The mole fractions of LL in the copolymer of all copolymers were nearly equal to the corresponding mole fraction of LL in the feed (FLL). Deprotection of the copolymer was also examined.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

709-714 1-(Arylmethyloxy)-9,10-anthraquinones: Photoinitiators for Radical and Cationic Polymerizations  M. Tozuka, T. Igarashi, and T. Sakurai [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The 1-(methoxy-substituted arylmethyloxy)-9,10-anthraquinone photoinitiators 1a–d containing no halogen or metal induced radical and cationic polymerization reactions of St and CHO, respectively, to give the corresponding polymers in reasonable yields. Analysis of the photoproducts derived from each initiator as well as of the polymer end groups substantiated that the arylmethyloxyl radical and arylmethyl carbocation are the major reactive species initiating the polymerization of St and CHO, respectively.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 15, 2009

715-725 Preparation and Properties of Polyamines: Part II–Controlled and Sustained Release of Nitric Oxide (NO) from Nitrosated Polymers  J. Wang, Y.-H. Teng, Y. Hao, J. Oh-Lee, and D. K. Mohanty [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Model compounds and high molecular weight polymers prepared from the reactions of 1,5-difluoro-2,4-dinitrobenzene and aliphatic amines and diamines respectively were nitrosated to yield low molecular weight and polymeric nitrosamines. The polymers and the low molecular weight compounds release nitric oxide in a controlled and sustained fashion with apparent half-lives up to 88 h and 81 h respectively.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

726-732 Vacuum-Deposited Poly(o-phenylenediamine)/WO3·nH2O Nanocomposite Thin Film for NO2 Gas Sensor  A. Tiwari and S. Li [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The vacuum-deposited thin film of WO3·nH2O embedded poly(o-phenylenediamine) nanocomposite was fabricated on an indium tin oxide coated glass surface for potential NO2 gas sensor application. The composite thin film exhibited a crystalline surface morphology containing nanocrystalls of WO3·nH2O with a diameter ranging from 5 to 10 nm. The resulting sensor allowed for the low potential detection of NO2 gas at concentration range from 0 to 1800 ppm with a relatively fast response (∼9 s) and recovery (∼10 s) time.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

733-738 Synthesis and Light-Emitting Behavior of Silicon-Bridged Fluorene Copolymers Bearing Oligoarylenevinylene Chromophore  K. Takagi, A. Tahara, and H. Kakiuchi [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Four types of copolymers with various combination of energy donor/acceptor segments were prepared and optical properties in solution and film states were investigated in order to confirm the fluorescence energy transfer. As a result, the fluorescence emission from energy-accepting oligoarylenevinylene chromophore having longer effective conjugation length than energy-donating terfluorene was observed through intra- and inter-polymer chain energy transfer.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

739-743 Induced Circular Dichroism of Anionic Porphyrin TPPS Aggregates in DNA Solutions  B. Liao, B. He, R. Liu, and Y. Huang [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Induced CD signals of TPPS aggregates in both cholesteric liquid crystal and isotropic DNA solutions are all observed within an appropriate pH range. The splitting CD signals of TPPS aggregates in the isotropic DNA solutions should result from the helical arrangement of TPPS molecules within the TPPS aggregates. The induced CD signals without splitting in the cholesteric liquid crystal DNA solutions, which should result from the helical arrangement of the aggregates like molecule screwing along the cholesteric helix axis.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

744-751 Preparation of Antibacterial Polymer-Grafted Silica Nanoparticle and Surface Properties of Composites Filled with the Silica (2)  T. Kawahara, Y. Takeuchi, G. Wei, K. Shirai, T. Yamauchi, and N. Tsubokawa [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The grafting of antibacterial polymer, poly(vinylbenzyltributylphosphonium chloride) (poly(St-CH2P+(Bu)3Cl−)), onto silica nanoparticle surface, was achieved by two methods: one is treatment of poly(vinylbenzylchloride) (poly(St-CH2Cl))-grafted silica with tributylphosphine and the other is direct grafting of poly(St-CH2P+(Bu)3Cl−) by radical graft polymerization of the corresponding monomer. The silicone rubber, polystyrene film, and paints filled with the poly(St-CH2P+(Bu)3Cl−)-grafted silica show strong antibacterial activity. These composites retained the antibacterial activity even after the boiling in water for 24 h.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 15, 2009

752-763 Fabrication, Morphology and Cure Behavior of Triethylenetetramine-Grafted Multiwalled Carbon Nanotube/Epoxy Nanocomposites  K. Yang and M. Gu [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The filling of unmodified and chemically modified MWCNTs does not change the cure reaction mechanism of epoxy, while MWCNTs delay the cure reaction because of their steric hindrance. TETA functional groups on the chemically functionalized MWCNT surface can act as curing agents and facilitate the primary amine-epoxide reaction, which means that they weaken the retardation effect caused by MWCNTs on the cure reaction of epoxy.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 15, 2009

764-770 Orientated Bacterial Cellulose Culture Controlled by Liquid Substrate of Silicone Oil with Different Viscosity and Thickness  A. Putra, A. Kakugo, H. Furukawa, and J. P. Gong [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

The effect of oxygen and culture interface on the orientation of BC fibril has been investigated by culturing BC on silicone oil with different thickness and viscosity. It was found that viscoelasticity of silicone oil plays an important role to determine the orientation of BC fibrils. Meanwhile, oxygen did not show any significant influence on it. Further, we also found that the thickness and viscosity of silicone oil affected the fibril width, swelling degree, and tensile performance of the BC.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 23, 2009

771-777 Preparation and Characterization of Micrometer-Sized Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) Hydrogel Particles  H. Shimizu, R. Wada, and M. Okabe [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Aqueous precipitation polymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) with N,N ′-methylenebisacryamide was performed by varying electrolyte concentrations in the polymerization media. Sodium chloride was used as an electrolyte. Higher electrolyte concentrations provided the production of micrometer-sized PNIPAM particles with a higher swelling capacity compared to conventional nanometer-sized PNIPAM particles. This would be because larger PNIPAM particles are the assemblies of nanometer-sized smaller particles linked each other through weak non-covalent forces.

[Regular Article] Web Release Date: July 23, 2009

778-783 Poly(methacrylate)s Labeled by Perylene Diimide: Synthesis and Applications in Single Chain Detection Studies  H. Aoki, T. Takahashi, Y. Tamai, R. Sekine, S. Aoki, K. Tani, and S. Ito [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Poly(methacrylate)s labeled with perylene diimide (PDI) derivatives were synthesized. The dye moiety was selectively introduced by appropriate molecular design at (1) the chain end, (2) the center segment of the main chain, and (3) the whole chain contour. The bright fluorescence from PDI allows the direct observation of the single polymer chain with a high signal-to-noise ratio. The three-dimensional orientation of the chain segment and the conformation of the polymer chains were successfully observed at the single molecule level.

[Note] Web Release Date: July 9, 2009

784-786 A Conducting Nanocomposite of Polystyrene with Acetylene Black  P. Saha Sardar, A. Maity, S. Ghosh, and M. Biswas [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

A highly conducting nanocomposite (PS-AB) of polystyrene (PS) with acetylene black (AB) was prepared by aqueous redox polymerization of the monomer in presence of suspended AB nanoparticles. The dC conductivity of PS-AB composite depended on AB:PS weight ratio in the composites.

[Note] Web Release Date: July 15, 2009

787-791 Formation of Porous Spherulites of Poly(L-lactide) Grown from Solutions  T. Sasaki, R. Asakawa, and K. Sakurai [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Poly(L-lacide) (PLLA) was crystallized from 5.0 wt % solutions of diethyl phthalate (DEP), glycerol tri-n-propionate (TP), N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF), and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO). From DEP and TP solutions, very porous flower-like spherulites consisting of assembled petals are formed, and each petal may include stacked lamellae. From DMF and DMSO solutions, on the other hand, less porous crystalline aggregates are formed, but they can be converted to crystallites with porous surface by etching treatment.

[Note] Web Release Date: July 23, 2009

792-796 Amylose Selectively Includes a Specific Range of Molecular Weights in Poly(tetrahydrofuran)s in Vine-Twining Polymerization  Y. Kaneko, K. Beppu, and J. Kadokawa [Full Text PDF(J-STAGE)]

Amylose selectively included a specific range of molecular weights (MWs) in guest poly(tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) in “vine-twining polymerization.” When the phosphorylase-catalyzed enzymatic polymerization of α-D-glucose 1-phosphate from maltoheptaose as a primer was performed in the presence of PTHFs with different average MWs, amylose included almost same MW range with low distribution in any PTHFs used.