| POLYMERS Vol.58 No.2 |
| >> Japanese | >> English |
Water / Polymer Systems |
| Polymer Science and I: A Personal Account |
| Difficulty and Fascination in Composite Development | Akihiro ENDO |
| <Abstract>The key point of composite development is to improve a target property without losing other material properties. It is one of the biggest fascinations in composite development that this difficult task can be attained by countless approaches. |
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| COVER STORY: Highlight Reviews |
| How do Water Molecules Behave in Polymers? | Shin YAGIHARA, Naoki SHINYASHIKI and Rio KITA |
| <Abstract>Complimentary
use of experimental techniques to observe dynamics of water molecules
in polymer materials explains the molecular mechanism of physical properties
and functions. Recent developments of broadband analysis, which are effective
with universal approaches such as fractal and hydrogen bonding network
concept are described. Keywords: Water / Liquid Structure / Polymer Chain Dynamics / Dielectric Relaxation / Broadband Analysis / Hydrogen Bonding Network / Glass Transition / Fractal Structure |
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| Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Water in Polymers | Yoshinori TAMAI and Mitsuhiro FUKUDA |
| <Abstract>Recent
development of molecular dynamics simulation of water in polymers has
been presented. The advantages of the MD simulation in analyzing the water
mobility, reorientational relaxation near the polymer chain are mainly
discussed. Topics of water models, peculiar structure in the narrow space
and also the hydrophobic interaction in the atomic level are also presented. Keywords: Molecular Dynamics Simulation / Water / Polymer / Hydrogen Bond / Hydrophobic Interaction |
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| Correlation between Biocompatibility of Polymer Materials and Their Hydration Structure | Hiromi KITANO* and Makoto GEMMEI-IDE |
| <Abstract>The
origin of biocompatibility of materials has been discussed by many researchers,
but not clarified yet. In this mini-review, the correlation of biocompatibility
of polymer materials and its hydration structure examined by vibrational
spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry was discussed. Keywords: Water Structure / Ionic & Nonionic Polymers / Vibrational Spectroscopy / Differential Scanning Calorimetry |
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| Controlled / Living Radical Polymerization in Aqueous Dispersed Systems | Hideto MINAMI, Per B. ZETTERLUND and Masayoshi OKUBO |
| <Abstract>Controlled/living
radical polymerization (CLRP) combines the attractive features of conventional
radical polymerization with the added advantage of enabling synthesis
of well-defined polymer, and has as such received great attention over
the past two decades. To date, the vast majority of research in this field
deals with homogeneous systems (bulk/solution). However, in more recent
years, great efforts are being directed towards implementation of CLRP
in various aqueous heterogeneous systems, motivated by applications, industrial
requirements for commercialization, as well as environmental concerns.
This review provides an introduction to this research trend. Keywords: Controlled / Living Radical Polymerization / Aqueous Dispersed Systems |
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| The Structural Transition of Polymers in Water | Masahiko ANNAKA |
| <Abstract>The
physicochemical natures of structural transition of polymers in water
have been investigated mainly to clarify the interaction between polymers.
In the search of the underlying its principle, it is crucial to understand
the roles of water and polymers at molecular level. Keywords: Thermo-sensitive Polymer / Phase Transition / Hydrophobic Interaction / Chemical Potential of Water / Dynamics |
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| COVER STORY: Topics and Products |
| Hydration of Counterions in Organic Ion-exchangers | Tetsuo OKADA |
| <Abstract>The
local structures of counterions in hydrated ion-exchange resins are discussed
on the basis of the results of X-ray absorption fine structure measurements.
Counteranions are partly dehydrated, and the extent of dehydration is
predictable from their hydration nature in bulk water. In contrast, most
of the studied cations keep first hydration shell structures even in cation-exchange
resins. However, clear dehydration is detected for K+. Keywords: Hydration of Ions / Polymeric Electrolytes / Ion-exchange / X-ray Absorption Fine Structure |
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| Hydrated Ionic Liquids as Solvents for Proteins | Kyoko FUJITA,Hiroyuki OHNO |
| <Abstract>Ionic
liquids (ILs) were mixed with small amount of water as a solvent for native
proteins. Some hydrated ILs show excellent solubilizing ability for proteins.
Proteins, dissolved in appropriate hydrated ILs, retain the native structure
and activity. Keywords: Ionic Liquids / Hydrated / Protein / Stability / Activity / Structure |
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| Enzymatic Polymerization in Hydrous Ionic Liquids | Masahiro FUJITA,Masahiro RIKUKAWA |
| <Abstract>Lipase-catalyzed
ring-opening polymerizations of L-lactide were carried out in hydrous
ionic liquids. The ratio of higher molecular weight poly(lactic acid)
increased with increasing water content in ionic liquids. Keywords: Ionic liquid / Enzymatic polymerization / Lipase / Poly(lactic acid) / Polyester |
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| TEMPO-oxidized Cellulose Nanofibers | Akira ISOGAI |
| <Abstract>Native
celluloses can be converted to individual nanofibers 3-4 nm in width and
at least several microns in length, by TEMPO-mediated oxidation and the
successive disintegration in water. Significant amounts of C6 carboxylate
groups are formed selectively on each microfibril surface by the oxidation
without any changes in crystallinity or crystal size. Electrostatic repulsion
and osmotic effect between anionically-charged cellulose microfibrils
bring about the formation of completely individualized TEMPO-oxidized
cellulose nanofibers in water. The new cellulose-based nanofibers formed
by downsizing process of native celluloses by TEMPO-mediated oxidation
are expected to be used as environmentally friendly nano-materials in
high-tech fields. Keywords: Cellulose / Nanofiber / TEMPO / Oxidation |
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| Front-Line Polymer Science |
| Amyloid Fibril Formation and Protein Science | Yuji GOTO |
| <Abstract>Amyloid
fibrils have been a critical subject in recent studies of proteins since
they are associated with the pathology of more than 20 serious human diseases.
Moreover, a variety of proteins and peptides not related to diseases are
able to form amyloid fibrils, implying that amyloid formation is a generic
property of polypeptides. On the basis of various approaches of protein
science, increasingly convincing models of amyloid structures, their formation
and propagation are emerging. Now, approaches of polymer science will
be promising for further advancing our understanding of amyloid fibrils. Keywords: Amyloid Fibrils / Protein Misfolding / β2-Microglobulin / Amyloid β / Dialysis-related Amyloidosis / Alzheimer's Disease |
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| Copyright(C) 2009 The Society of Polymer Science, Japan All Rights Reserved. |