Kinetics copolymers

Figure 1. Calculated and experimental ( ) hydrolysis kinetics Copolymer C, T=80°C, different initial pH...

Raman spectroscopy has been used extensively in the polymer area for many years and its application has been summarized in several books and review articles over the years [13,15,35-38]. The application of Raman spectroscopy to polymers allows the user to obtain information on general molecular raicrostructure [13,39-44], polymerization (extent and kinetics), copolymer composition [45-49], polymer density [50], molecular weight, hydrogenation [51], degree of unsaturation, morphology including orientation [13,15], tac-... 

A number of friction studies have been carried out on organic polymers in recent years. Coefficients of friction are for the most part in the normal range, with values about as expected from Eq. XII-5. The detailed results show some serious complications, however. First, n is very dependent on load, as illustrated in Fig. XlI-5, for a copolymer of hexafluoroethylene and hexafluoropropylene [31], and evidently the area of contact is determined more by elastic than by plastic deformation. The difference between static and kinetic coefficients of friction was attributed to transfer of an oriented film of polymer to the steel rider during sliding and to low adhesion between this film and the polymer surface. Tetrafluoroethylene (Telfon) has a low coefficient of friction, around 0.1, and in a detailed study, this lower coefficient and other differences were attributed to the rather smooth molecular profile of the Teflon molecule [32]. 

Fraai]e J G E M 1993 Dynamic density functional theory for micro-phase separation kinetics of block copolymer melts J. Chem. Phys. 99 9202... 

Maurits, N.M., Fraaije, J.G.E.M. Mesoscopic dynamics of copolymer melts from density dynamics to external potential dynamics using nonlocal kinetic coupling. J. Chem. Phys. 107 (1997) 5879-5889. 

It is the magnitude of the various k values in Eqs. (7.1)-(7.4) that describes the intrinsic kinetic differences between the various modes of addition, and the k s plus the concentrations of the different species determine the rates at which the four kinds of additions occur. It is the proportion of different steps which determines the composition of the copolymer produced. 

Returning to the data of Table 7.1, it is apparent that there is a good deal of variability among the r values displayed by various systems. We have already seen the effect this produces on the overall copolymer composition we shall return to the matter of microstructure in Sec. 7.6. First, however, let us consider the obvious question. What factors in the molecular structure of two monomers govern the kinetics of the different addition steps This question is considered in the few next sections for now we look for a way to systematize the data as the first step toward an answer. 

If we define p and Pj. as the probability of addition occurring in the meso and racemic modes, respectively, then p Pr since there are only two possibilities. The probability p is the analog of Pjj for copolymers hence, by analogy with Eq. (7.30), this equals the fraction of isotactic dyads among all dyads. In terms of the kinetic approach of the last section, p is equal to the rate of an iso addition divided by the combined rates of iso and syndio additions ... 

Thermal Oxidative Stability. ABS undergoes autoxidation and the kinetic features of the oxygen consumption reaction are consistent with an autocatalytic free-radical chain mechanism. Comparisons of the rate of oxidation of ABS with that of polybutadiene and styrene—acrylonitrile copolymer indicate that the polybutadiene component is significantly more sensitive to oxidation than the thermoplastic component (31—33). Oxidation of polybutadiene under these conditions results in embrittlement of the mbber because of cross-linking such embrittlement of the elastomer in ABS results in the loss of impact resistance. Studies have also indicated that oxidation causes detachment of the grafted styrene—acrylonitrile copolymer from the elastomer which contributes to impact deterioration (34). 

Homogeneous GopolymeriZation. Nearly all acryhc fibers are made from acrylonitrile copolymers containing one or more additional monomers that modify the properties of the fiber. Thus copolymerization kinetics is a key technical area in the acryhc fiber industry. When carried out in a homogeneous solution, the copolymerization of acrylonitrile foUows the normal kinetic rate laws of copolymerization. Comprehensive treatments of this general subject have been pubhshed (35—39). The more specific subject of acrylonitrile copolymerization has been reviewed (40). The general subject of the reactivity of polymer radicals has been treated in depth (41). 

Copolymer composition can be predicted for copolymerizations with two or more components, such as those employing acrylonitrile plus a neutral monomer and an ionic dye receptor. These equations are derived by assuming that the component reactions involve only the terminal monomer unit of the chain radical. The theory of multicomponent polymerization kinetics has been treated (35,36). 

An example is poly(bis(p-carboxyphenoxy)propane) (PCPP) which has been prepared as a copolymer with various levels of sebacic anhydride (SA). Injection molded samples of poly (anhydride) / dmg mixtures display 2ero-order kinetics in both polymer erosion and dmg release. Degradation of these polymers simply releases the dicarboxyhc acid monomers (54). Preliminary toxicological evaluations showed that the polymers and degradation products had acceptable biocompatibiUty and did not exhibit cytotoxicity or mutagenicity (55). 

The search for new, high performance materials requites the synthesis of weU-defined, narrow molecular weight distribution, cycHc-free, homo- and copolymers. Synthesis of these polymers can be accompHshed by the kinetically controUed polymerization of the strained monomer. 

Copolymers with butadiene, ie, those containing at least 60 wt % butadiene, are an important family of mbbers. In addition to synthetic mbber, these compositions have extensive uses as paper coatings, water-based paints, and carpet backing. Because of unfavorable reaction kinetics in a mass system, these copolymers are made in an emulsion polymerization system, which favors chain propagation but not termination (199). The result is economically acceptable rates with desirable chain lengths. Usually such processes are mn batchwise in order to achieve satisfactory particle size distribution. 

Divinylbenzene copolymers with styrene are produced extensively as supports for the active sites of ion-exchange resins and in biochemical synthesis. About 1—10 wt % divinylbenzene is used, depending on the required rigidity of the cross-linked gel, and the polymerization is carried out as a suspension of the monomer-phase droplets in water, usually as a batch process. Several studies have been reported on the reaction kinetics (200,201). 

Vinyhdene chloride copolymerizes randomly with methyl acrylate and nearly so with other acrylates. Very severe composition drift occurs, however, in copolymerizations with vinyl chloride or methacrylates. Several methods have been developed to produce homogeneous copolymers regardless of the reactivity ratio (43). These methods are appHcable mainly to emulsion and suspension processes where adequate stirring can be maintained. Copolymerization rates of VDC with small amounts of a second monomer are normally lower than its rate of homopolymerization. The kinetics of the copolymerization of VDC and VC have been studied (45—48). 

Amines can also swell the polymer, lea ding to very rapid reactions. Pyridine, for example, would be a fairly good solvent for a VDC copolymer if it did not attack the polymer chemically. However, when pyridine is part of a solvent mixture that does not dissolve the polymer, pyridine does not penetrate into the polymer phase (108). Studies of single crystals indicate that pyridine removes hydrogen chloride only from the surface. Kinetic studies and product characterizations suggest that the reaction of two units in each chain-fold can easily take place further reaction is greatiy retarded either by the inabiUty of pyridine to diffuse into the crystal or by steric factors. 

These complicating factors influence not only the middle composition and composition distribution curves of copolymers, but also the kinetic parameters of copolymerization and the molecular weight of copolymers. An understanding of these complicating factors makes it possible to regulate the prosesses of copolymerization and to obtain copolymers with different characteristics and, therefore, with various properties. 

The block copolymer produced by Bamford s metal carbonyl/halide-terminated polymers photoinitiating systems are, therefore, more versatile than those based on anionic polymerization, since a wide range of monomers may be incorporated into the block. Although the mean block length is controllable through the parameters that normally determine the mean kinetic chain length in a free radical polymerization, the molecular weight distributions are, of course, much broader than with ionic polymerization and the polymers are, therefore, less well defined,... 

It may not be appropriate to compare the thermal stability characteristics of VC/VAc copolymer to that of a VC homopolymer (PVC). The copolymerization would involve different kinetics and mechanism as compared to homopolymerization resulting structurally in quite different polymers. Hence, copolymerization of VC with VAc cannot be regarded as a substitution of chlorines in PVC by acetate groups. To eliminate the possibility of these differences Naqvi [45] substituted chlorines in PVC by acetate groups, using crown ethers (18-crown-6) to solubilize potassium acetate in organic solvents, and studied the thermal stability of the modified PVC. Following is the mechanism of the substitution reaction ... 

It was recently found that j3-PCPY can also be used as a radical initiator to obtain an alternate copolymer of MMA with styrene [35], which was only possible in the presence of Lewis acids [36,37] in the past. The kinetics of the system has been formulated as Rp a[/3-PCPY] a[MMA] (l/a[Styrene] The values of kp /k, and AE were evaluated as 1.43 x 10 L mol -s and 87 kJ/ mol, respectively, for the system. NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the structure composition and stereochemistry of copolymers. Radical copolymerization of AN with styrene [38] by using /3-PCPY as the initiator at 55-65°C also resulted in an alternate copolymer. Rp is a direct function of /3-PCPY and AN, and is inversely related to styrene. 

An alternating copolymer of a-methyl styrene and oxygen as an active polymer was recently reported [20]. When a-methyl styrene and AIBN are pressurized with O2, poly-a-methylstyreneperoxide is obtained. Polymerization kinetic studies have shown that the oligoperoxides mentioned above were as reactive as benzoyl peroxide, which is a commercial peroxidic initiator. Table 1 compares the overall rate constants of some oligoperoxides with that of benzoyl peroxide. 

The possibility of conformational changes in chains between chemical junctions for weakly crosslinked CP in ionization is confirmed also by the investigation of the kinetic mobility of elements of the reticular structure by polarized luminescence [32, 33]. Polarized luminescence is used for the study of relaxation properties of structural elements with covalently bonded luminescent labels [44,45]. For a microdisperse form of a macroreticular MA-EDMA (2.5 mol% EDMA) copolymer (Fig. 9 a, curves 1 and 2), as compared to linear PM A, the inner structure of chain parts is more stable and the conformational transition is more distinct. A similar kind of dependence is also observed for a weakly crosslinked AA-EDMA (2.5 mol%) copolymer (Fig. 9b, curves 4 and 5). 

Shimidzu etal.111 studied the catalytic activity of poly (4(5)-vinylimidazole-co-acrylic add) 60 (PVIm AA) in hydrolyses of 3-acetoxy-N-trimethylanilinium iodide 61 (ANTI) and p-nitrophenylacetate 44 (PNPA). The hydrolyses of ANTI followed the Michaelis-Menten-type kinetics, and that of PNPA followed the second-order kinetics. Substrate-binding with the copolymer was strongest at an imidazole content of 30 mol%. The authors concluded that the carboxylic acid moiety not... 

Knowledge of kui/kii is also important in designing polymer syntheses. For example, in the preparation of block copolymers using polymeric or multifunctional initiators (Section 7.6.1), ABA or AB blocks may be formed depending on whether termination involves combination or disproportionation respectively. The relative importance of combination and disproportionation is also important in the analysts of polymerization kinetics and, in particular, in the derivation of rate parameters. 

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