Segmented polymers

Fig. XI-6. Polymer segment volume fraction profiles for N = 10, = 0-5, and Xi = 1, on a semilogarithinic plot against distance from the surface scaled on the polymer radius of gyration showing contributions from loops and tails. The inset shows the overall profile on a linear scale, from Ref. 65.

Altematively, tire polymer layers may overlap, which increases tire local polymer segment density, also resulting in a repulsive interaction. Particularly on close approach, r < d + L, a steep repulsion is predicted to occur. Wlren a relatively low molecular weight polymer is used, tire repulsive interactions are ratlier short-ranged (compared to tire particle size) and the particles display near hard-sphere behaviour (e.g., [11]). 

Figure 1.5 Placement of successive polymer segments connected by perfectly flexible joints. In (a), the ith and (i + l)th bond can be moved through angles 0 and 6 so that carbon 3 can lie anywhere on the surface of a sphere. In (b), the pattern is illustrated for a longer portion of chain.

Each lattice site is defined to have z nearest neighbors, and 0i and 02 > respectively, can be used to describe the fraction of sites which are occupied by solvent molecules and polymer segments. The following inventory of interactions can now be made for the mixture ... 

Each polymer segment (subscript 2) is surrounded, on the average, by z02 polymer segments and z0i solvent molecules. 

The contribution to the energy of this polymer segment interacting with its neighbors is z02W22 + z0i Wi2. ... 

Since the solvent molecules, the polymer segments, and the lattice sites are all assumed to be equal in volume, reaction (8.A) impUes constant volume conditions. Under these conditions, AU is needed and what we have called Aw might be better viewed as the contribution to the internal energy of a pairwise interaction AUp jj., where the subscript reminds us that this is the contribution of a single pair formation by reaction A. 

Next we use the Flory-Huggins theory to evalute AG by Eq. (8.44). As noted above, the volume fraction occupied by polymer segments within the coi domain is small, so the logarithms in Eq. (8.44) can be approximated by the leading terms of a series expansion. Within the coil N2 = 1 and Nj = (1 - 0 VuNa/Vi, where is the volume of the coil domain. When all of these considertions are taken into account, Eq. (8.108) becomes... 

A crystalline or semicrystalline state in polymers can be induced by thermal changes from a melt or from a glass, by strain, by organic vapors, or by Hquid solvents (40). Polymer crystallization can also be induced by compressed (or supercritical) gases, such as CO2 (41). The plasticization of a polymer by CO2 can increase the polymer segmental motions so that crystallization is kinetically possible. Because the amount of gas (or fluid) sorbed into the polymer is a dkect function of the pressure, the rate and extent of crystallization may be controUed by controlling the supercritical fluid pressure. As a result of this abiHty to induce crystallization, a history effect may be introduced into polymers. This can be an important consideration for polymer processing and gas permeation membranes. 

Phase-separation between incompatible polymer segments. 

FIG. 12 Segment density profile as function of the distance from the wall Z for flexible (empty symbols) and semi-rigid (full symbols) living polymer chains at T = 0.4 [28]. The fractional occupancy of lattice sites by polymer segments is shown for the layers in the left half of the box. Dashed lines are guides for the eyes. 

The structure of the chain, i.e., whether it is a helix or a random coil, might influence not only the rate but also the stereospecificity of the growing polymer. For example, it is plausible to expect that in normal vinyl polymerization helix formation might favor specific placement, say isotactic, while either placement would be approximately equally probable in a growing random coil. Formation of a helix requires interaction between polymer segments, and this intramolecular interaction is enhanced by bad solvents particularly those which precipitate the polymer. 

The importance of polymer segmental motion in ion transport has already been referred to. Although classical Arrhenius... 

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