Polymers, formaldehyde Solubility

Yarns which have a composition corresponding with polyvinyl alcohol, known as Vinylon, have been used with some success in Japan. The polymer is soluble in water and is therefore of no textile value. Treatment with formaldehyde, however, builds ether linkages between adjacent carbon atoms attached to hydroxyl groups as shown in the equation ... 

The condensation polymerization of the cresol with formaldehyde, it should be pointed out, is difficult to control and results in a relatively low-molecular-weight polymer. In general, these polymers are soluble in most spin-coating solvents, provide excellent adhesion to most substrates, and exhibit good film-forming and coating properties. 

Positive-Tone Photoresists based on Dissolution Inhibition by Diazonaphthoquinones. The intrinsic limitations of bis-azide—cycHzed mbber resist systems led the semiconductor industry to shift to a class of imaging materials based on diazonaphthoquinone (DNQ) photosensitizers. Both the chemistry and the imaging mechanism of these resists (Fig. 10) differ in fundamental ways from those described thus far (23). The DNQ acts as a dissolution inhibitor for the matrix resin, a low molecular weight condensation product of formaldehyde and cresol isomers known as novolac (24). The phenoHc stmcture renders the novolac polymer weakly acidic, and readily soluble in aqueous alkaline solutions. In admixture with an appropriate DNQ the polymer s dissolution rate is sharply decreased. Photolysis causes the DNQ to undergo a multistep reaction sequence, ultimately forming a base-soluble carboxyHc acid which does not inhibit film dissolution. Immersion of a pattemwise-exposed film of the resist in an aqueous solution of hydroxide ion leads to rapid dissolution of the exposed areas and only very slow dissolution of unexposed regions. In contrast with crosslinking resists, the film solubiHty is controUed by chemical and polarity differences rather than molecular size. 

In production, anhydrous formaldehyde is continuously fed to a reactor containing well-agitated inert solvent, especially a hydrocarbon, in which monomer is sparingly soluble. Initiator, especially amine, and chain-transfer agent are also fed to the reactor (5,16,17). The reaction is quite exothermic and polymerisation temperature is maintained below 75°C (typically near 40°C) by evaporation of the solvent. Polymer is not soluble in the solvent and precipitates early in the reaction. 

It should be possible to form linear noncross-linked polymers of melamine—formaldehyde or phenol—formaldehyde by reaction of one mole of the patent with one mole of formaldehyde, but this is generally not the case. The melamine crystal itself is very insoluble in water and only becomes soluble as the formaldehyde molecules add on. If much less than 1.5 moles of formaldehyde pet mole of melamine ate used, the aqueous resin solution is very unstable. 

In addition to the solvent soluble toners, alkah water-soluble toners have been produced. These types include WST produced by Day-Glo and Aquabest produced by Radiant Color. These toners are dissolved ia water which contains a portion of ammonia and, if necessary, some isopropyl alcohol. These toners can be used as binders or additional binders and other additives can be added to give the ink the desired properties. These toners are condensation-type polymers other than the formaldehyde types. 

Figure 4d represents in situ encapsulation processes (17,18), an example of which is presented in more detail in Figure 6 (18). The first step is to disperse a water-immiscible Hquid or soHd core material in an aqueous phase that contains urea, melamine, water-soluble urea—formaldehyde condensate, or water-soluble urea—melamine condensate. In many cases, the aqueous phase also contains a system modifier that enhances deposition of the aminoplast capsule sheU (18). This is an anionic polymer or copolymer (Fig. 6). SheU formation occurs once formaldehyde is added and the aqueous phase acidified, eg, pH 2—4.5. The system is heated for several hours at 40—60°C.

Oxidation Catalysis. The multiple oxidation states available in molybdenum oxide species make these exceUent catalysts in oxidation reactions. The oxidation of methanol (qv) to formaldehyde (qv) is generally carried out commercially on mixed ferric molybdate—molybdenum trioxide catalysts. The oxidation of propylene (qv) to acrolein (77) and the ammoxidation of propylene to acrylonitrile (qv) (78) are each carried out over bismuth—molybdenum oxide catalyst systems. The latter (Sohio) process produces in excess of 3.6 x 10 t/yr of acrylonitrile, which finds use in the production of fibers (qv), elastomers (qv), and water-soluble polymers. 

Physical and Chemical Properties. The reaction of urea and formaldehyde forms a white soHd. The solubihty varies with the methylene urea polymer chain length longer-chain, higher molecular-weight UF polymers are less water-soluble than short-chain polymers. Physical properties of the methylene urea polymers which have been isolated are compared to urea in Table 1. 

The workhorse of the VLSI industry today is a composite novolac-diazonaphthoquinone photoresist that evolved from similar materials developed for the manufacture of photoplates used in the printing industry in the early 1900 s (23). The novolac matrix resin is a condensation polymer of a substituted phenol and formaldehyde that is rendered insoluble in aqueous base through addition of 10-20 wt% of a diazonaphthoquinone photoactive dissolution inhibitor (PAC). Upon irradiation, the PAC undergoes a Wolff rearrangement followed by hydrolysis to afford a base-soluble indene carboxylic acid. This reaction renders the exposed regions of the composite films soluble in aqueous base, and allows image formation. A schematic representation of the chemistry of this solution inhibition resist is shown in Figure 6. 

The high-molecular-weight products formed by the condensation of phenols with carbonyl compounds (especially with formaldehyde) are known as phenolic resins. They are mixtures of structurally nonuniform compounds that are initially soluble and fusible but which can become crosslinked (cured) by subsequent reactions. One distinguishes between acid- and base-catalyzed condensations, since they lead to different end products the properties of the condensation polymer are also affected by the mole ratio of phenol to formaldehyde. 

It is customary to stop the hydrolysis of PVAc before all the acetyl groups are removed. Thus the commercial product, with a degree of hydrolysis of about 88%, is readily soluble in water but is resistant to less polar solvents, such as benzoie and gasoline. PVA fibers (Kuralon) are strong and insoluble in water because of a surface treatment with formaldehyde which reacts with the surface hydroxyl groups to produce polyvinyl formal on the polymer surface. 

Another method by which carbazole has been incorporated into polymers is by acid-catalyzed condensation with formaldehyde. It was shown (79MI11103) that linear, soluble polymers (37) could be prepared when the substituent on the 9-position was propyl or larger. With methyl or ethyl substitution there is apparently little steric inhibition to condensation at the 1-position as well, and crosslinked polymers are the result. 

Further materials that have been evaluated as supports for solid-phase synthesis include phenol-formaldehyde polymers [239,240], platinum electrodes coated with polythiophenes [241], proteins (bovine serum albumin) [242], polylysine [243], soluble poly (vinyl alcohol) [244], various copolymers of vinyl alcohol [4,245,246], and soluble dendrimers [14,247]. 

---