Acid loss and plasticization of phosphoric acid(PA)-doped high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)are critical limitations to their practical application in fuel cells.To overcome these barriers,poly(te...Acid loss and plasticization of phosphoric acid(PA)-doped high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)are critical limitations to their practical application in fuel cells.To overcome these barriers,poly(terphenyl piperidinium)s constructed from the m-and p-isomers of terphenyl were synthesized to regulate the microstructure of the membrane.Highly rigid p-terphenyl units prompt the formation of moderate PA aggregates,where the ion-pair interaction between piperidinium and biphosphate is reinforced,leading to a reduction in the plasticizing effect.As a result,there are trade-offs between the proton conductivity,mechanical strength,and PA retention of the membranes with varied m/p-isomer ratios.The designed PA-doped PTP-20m membrane exhibits superior ionic conductivity,good mechanical strength,and excellent PA retention over a wide range of temperature(80–160°C)as well as satisfactory resistance to harsh accelerated aging tests.As a result,the membrane presents a desirable combination of performance(1.462 W cm^(-2) under the H_(2)/O_(2)condition,which is 1.5 times higher than that of PBI-based membrane)and durability(300 h at 160°C and 0.2 A cm^(-2))in the fuel cell.The results of this study provide new insights that will guide molecular design from the perspective of microstructure to improve the performance and robustness of HT-PEMs.展开更多
The microphase-separating behaviors of two types of star-diblock copolymers （Ax）4（By）4 and （A^Bg）4 in thin films are studied using the simulation technique of dissipative particle dynamics. A variety of ordered ...The microphase-separating behaviors of two types of star-diblock copolymers （Ax）4（By）4 and （A^Bg）4 in thin films are studied using the simulation technique of dissipative particle dynamics. A variety of ordered mesostructures have been observed and the simulated phase diagrams show obvious symmetries for the （Ax）4（By）a films and asymmetries for the （AxBy）4 films, besides, it is easier for the （Ax）4（By）4 than for the （A^By）4 to carry out microphase separation under the same conditions, which has been recognized in bulk and can be ascribed to the structural difference between the two types of star copolymers. There are some correspondences between the mesostructures formed in the film and those formed in bulk at the same composition fraction. Decreasing the thickness of film and strengthening the A-B repulsion both help the mesostructures enhance the degree of order. Composition fraction dependences of the mean-square radius of gyration in the two types of star copolymer films are almost contrary, which can be attributed to the differences in their respective structures. These findings can provide a guide to designing novel microstructures involving star-diblock copolymers via geometrical confinement.展开更多
Solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)with high ionic conductivity,mechanical stability,and high thermal stability,as well as the stringent requirement of application in high-temperature fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries i...Solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)with high ionic conductivity,mechanical stability,and high thermal stability,as well as the stringent requirement of application in high-temperature fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries is receiving increasing attention.Polymer nanocomposites(PNCs),combining the advantages of inorganic materials with those of polymeric materials,offer numerous opportunities for SSEs design.In this work,we report a facile and general one-pot approach based on polymerization-induced microphase separation(PIMS)to generate PNCs with bi-continuous microphases.This synthetic strategy transforms a homogeneous liquid precursor consisting of polyoxometalates(POMs,H_(3)PW_(12)O_(40),Li_(7)[V_(15)O_(36)(CO_(3))]),poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)macro-chain-transfer agent,styrene and divinylbenzene monomers,into a robust and transparent monolith.The resulting POMs are uniformly dispersed in the PEG block(PEG/POM)to form a conducting pathway that successfully realizes the effective transfer of protons and lithium ions,while the highly cross-linked polystyrene domains(P(S-co-DVB))as mechanical support provide outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability.As the POM loading ratio up to 35 wt%,the proton conductivity of nanocomposite reaches as high as 5.99×10^(-4) S/cm at 100℃ in anhydrous environment,which effectively promotes proton transfer under extreme environments.This study broadens the application of fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries in extreme environments.展开更多
We investigated the effects of molecular weight and film thickness on the crystallization and microphase separation in semicrystalline block copolymer polystyrene-block-poly（L-lactic acid） （PS-b-PLLA） thin films, ...We investigated the effects of molecular weight and film thickness on the crystallization and microphase separation in semicrystalline block copolymer polystyrene-block-poly（L-lactic acid） （PS-b-PLLA） thin films, at the early stage of film evolution （when Tg 〈 T 〈 TODT） by in situ hot stage atomic force microscopy. For PS-b-PLLA 1 copolymer which had lower molecular weight and higher PLLA fraction, diffusion-controlled break-out crystallization started easily. For PS-b-PLLA 2 with higher molecular weight, crystallization in nanometer scales occurs in local area. After melting of the two copolymer films, islands were observed at the film surface： PS-b-PLLA 1 film was in a disordered phase mixed state while PS-b-PLLA 2 film formed phase-separated lamellar structure paralleling to the substrate. Crystallization-melting and van der Waals forces drove the island formation in PS-b-PLLA 1 film. Film thickness affected the crystallization rate. Crystals grew very slowly in much thinner film of PS-b-PLLA 1 and remained almost unchanged at long time annealing. The incompatibility between PS and PLLA blocks drove the film fluctuation which subsequently evolved into spinodal-like morphology.展开更多
A series of mixed, random cylindrical brush copolymers bearing polystyrene（PS） and poly（ε-caprolactone）（PCL） side chains were synthesized via the combination of ring-opening polymerization（ROP） and atom trans...A series of mixed, random cylindrical brush copolymers bearing polystyrene（PS） and poly（ε-caprolactone）（PCL） side chains were synthesized via the combination of ring-opening polymerization（ROP） and atom transfer radical polymerization（ATRP）. These novel cylindrical brush copolymers have been characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR） spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography（GPC） and differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）. It was found that the mikto-armed cylindrical brush copolymers were microphase-separated in bulks and that the morphologies were dependent on the mass ratios of PS to PCL side chains. One of the cylindrical brush copolymers was employed to incorporate into epoxy thermoset to investigate effect of the mikto-armed cylindrical brush architecture on the reaction-induced microphase separation behavior. Depending on the concentration of the cylindrical brush in epoxy, the thermosets can display the morphologies with the spherical, worm-like and lamellar PS microdomains dispersing in continuous thermosetting matrices.展开更多
Incorporating antibacterial agent into biomimetic coating inspired by natural organisms with micronano structure surface has generated more interest for antifouling applications.In this work,poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDM...Incorporating antibacterial agent into biomimetic coating inspired by natural organisms with micronano structure surface has generated more interest for antifouling applications.In this work,poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS)-based triblock copolymers and sub-20 nm nanoparticles Ag and heterogeneous Fe_(3)O_(4)-coated Ag(Fe_(3)O_(4)@Ag)were used to construct microphase separation topography with oriented copolymer blocks structure.The artificial surface was verified by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images.Meanwhile,the surface exhibited relative stable hydrophobic property,which was demonstrated by the water contact angle and dynamic air-bubble contact angle measurements.Consequently,after immersed in BSA solution 24 h and 720 h,the actual BSA absorption amount of the surface with Fe_(3)O_(4)@Ag nanoparticles was as low as 10%and 27%that of the initial BSA amount,respectively.Moreover,the surface also showed remarkable antibacterial performance,which effectively suppressed the growth rate of Escherichia coli.The strategy of constructing the flexible micro p hase separation structure by introducing heterogeneous inorganic antibacterial nanoparticles into a block copolymer substrate opens up a new way to create an antifouling surface coating.展开更多
The development of degradable and chemically recyclable polymers is a promising strategy to address pressing environmental and resource-related challenges.Despite significant progress,there is a need for continuous de...The development of degradable and chemically recyclable polymers is a promising strategy to address pressing environmental and resource-related challenges.Despite significant progress,there is a need for continuous development of such recyclable polymers.Herein,PPDOPLLA-PU copolymers were synthesized from poly(p-dioxanone)-diol(PPDO-diol)and poly(L-lactide)-diol(PLLA-diol)by chain extension reaction.The chemical structures and microphase structures of PPDO-PLLA-PU were characterized,and their crystalline properties,mechanical properties,and degradation behaviors were further investigated.Significantly,the distribution of PLLA phase in the copolymer matrix showed a rod-like microstructure with a slight orientation,despite the thermodynamic incompatibility of PPDO and PLLA segments.Moreover,on the basis of this microphase separation,PPDO spherulites can crystallize using the interface of the two phases as nucleation sites.Accordingly,the combined effect of above two contributes to the enhanced mechanical properties.In addition,PPDO-PLLA-PU copolymers have good processability and recyclability,making them valuable for a wide range of applications.展开更多
In contrast to the predominant mono or difunctionalization of alkenes,the multi-site functionalization of alkenes involving the synergistic formation of more than two new C–C or C–X bonds is much challenging,especia...In contrast to the predominant mono or difunctionalization of alkenes,the multi-site functionalization of alkenes involving the synergistic formation of more than two new C–C or C–X bonds is much challenging,especially for developing new reaction pathway to afford the functional heterocycle compounds with aggregation-induced emission(AIE)property has been rarely reported.In present work,the multi-site functionalization of in situ generated alkenes with indoles has been developed for the synthesis of diversely functionalized carbazoles through the synergistic construction of multiple C–C bonds and C=O bond.A proposed reaction sequence involving C–H alkenylation/radical oxygen atom transfer/Diels-Alder cycloaddition/dehydrogenative aromatization was supported by experiments and density functional theory calculations.Further derivative carbazole-linked-quinoxaline skeletons represent a class of AIEgens with acceptor-donor-acceptor configuration,which generated the desired twisted intramolecular charge transfer(TICT)AIE properties and could be used as fluorescent probes for detecting the micrometer-sized phase separation of polymer blends.The protocol provides a concise route for the synthesis and application of carbazole-based AIE luminogens.展开更多
Proton exchange membranes(PEMs)are widely employed in energy conversion and storage devices including fuel cells(FCs),redox flow batteries(RFBs)and PEM water electrolysis(PEMWE).As one of the main components of these ...Proton exchange membranes(PEMs)are widely employed in energy conversion and storage devices including fuel cells(FCs),redox flow batteries(RFBs)and PEM water electrolysis(PEMWE).As one of the main components of these devices,a high-performance PEM is always desirable considering the cost challenges from both energy utilization efficiency and production cost.From this century,governments of countries worldwide have introduced PFAS(per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)restriction related policies,which facilitate the extensive research on non-fluorinated PEMs.Besides,non-fluorinated PEMs become hot topics of all kinds of PEMs due to the advantages including excellent conductivity,high mechanical property,reduced swelling,low cost and reduced ion permeation of electrochemically active species.In this review,various types of non-fluorinated PEMs including main-chain-type hydrocarbon membranes,microphase separation membranes and membranes with rigid-twisted structure are comprehensively summarized.The basic properties of different types of non-fluorinated PEMs including water uptake,swelling ratio,oxidative stability,tensile strength and conductivity are compared and the corresponding application performance in FCs,RFBs and PEMWE are discussed.The state-of-the-art of the structural design in both monomers and polymers is reviewed for the construction of fast ion transport channels and high resistance of free radical attacks.Also,future challenges and possibilities for the development of non-fluorinated PEMs are comprehensively forecasted.展开更多
Understanding working principles and thermodynamics behind phase separations,which have significant influences on condensed molecular structures and their performances,can inspire to design and fabricate anomalously a...Understanding working principles and thermodynamics behind phase separations,which have significant influences on condensed molecular structures and their performances,can inspire to design and fabricate anomalously and desirably mechanoresponsive hydrogels.However,a combination of techniques from physicochemistry and mechanics has yet been established for the phase separation in hydrogels.In this study,a thermodynamic model is firstly formulated to describe solvent-aided phase and microphase separations in the hydrogels,which present significantly improved mechanoresponsive strengths.Flory-Huggins theory and interfacial energy equation have further been applied to model the thermodynamics of concentration-dependent and temperature-dependent phase separations.An intricately detailed phase map has finally been formulated to explore the working principle.The thermodynamic methodology of phase separations,combined with the constitutive stress-strain relationships,has a great potential to explore the working mechanisms in mechanoresponsive hydrogels.展开更多
A series of“hairy-rod”polyimides,BBPA(n),with multiple alkyl side chains was prepared from 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride(BPDA)and 4,4'-biphenyldiamine substituted in the 2,2'-position...A series of“hairy-rod”polyimides,BBPA(n),with multiple alkyl side chains was prepared from 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride(BPDA)and 4,4'-biphenyldiamine substituted in the 2,2'-positions with benzoate,whichwas substituted in the 3,4,5-positions with ether side chains of varying lengths.The number of the methylene units,n,inthese alkyl side chains were in even numbers ranging from 8 to 18.Combining techniques of one-dimensional(1D)and 2Dwide angle x-ray diffraction,1D small angle X-ray scattering,differential scanning calorimetry experiments,it was found thatthis series of“hairy-rod”polyimides possess a micro-phase separation between the backbones and side chains.This led to theformation of ordered structures in two different length scales,of which both are hexagonal packing:one is attributed to thealkyl side chains on the sub-nanometer scale,and another is for the whole polymer chains on the nanometer scale.Thedevelopment of the hexagonal structure on the sub-nanometer scale was critically dependent upon the lengths of the alkylside chains.Three relaxation processes were captured by dynamic mechanical analysis,i.e.,segmental motion of thebackbones,α,the melting of the side chain crystals,β_1,which exits only for the materials with longer side chains(n=18,16);and the subglass relaxation of side chains,β_2.The peak relaxation temperature of the α process decreased withincreasing the length of side chains,while the one of the β_2 process increased.The activation energy of the α relaxation wasrelatively independent on the length of side chain,whereas,β_2 process showed the increasing of activation energy withincreasing the length of side chains.展开更多
Improving the comprehensive performance of anion exchange membranes(AEMs)has a decisive impact on the wide application of anion exchange membrane fuel cells(AEMFCs).Herein,we prepared a series of new poly(phenanthrene...Improving the comprehensive performance of anion exchange membranes(AEMs)has a decisive impact on the wide application of anion exchange membrane fuel cells(AEMFCs).Herein,we prepared a series of new poly(phenanthrene-co-p-terphenyl piperidinium)(PPTP3F_(x)-DIL)AEMs with different fluorinated monomers for high performance AEMFCs.The polymerization of fluorinated monomers with other aryl monomers can effectively promote the separation of microphase in the membrane.It also has a high OH-conductivity at a low swelling.The membrane(PPTP3F_(4)-DIL)prepared by polycondensation of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(p-tolyl)ethan 1-one monomer achieves a high conductivity of 168.5 mS cm^(-1)at 80℃.At the same time,the water uptake is 40.0%and the swelling ratio is 12.1%.In addition,these membranes also have good mechanical properties and alkaline stability.After 1440 h of treatment in a NaOH(2 M)solution at 80℃,PPTP3F_(x)-DIL still maintains excellent tensile strength(>30.3 MPa)and elongation at break(>43.4%),and the conductivity retention of the PPTP3F_(1)-DIL membrane is 90.3%.The PPTP3F_(4)-DIL-based single cell exhibits a high peak power density(918.1 mW cm^(-2))and excellent durability(100 h)at 80℃.Therefore,these PPTP3F_(x)-DIL membranes have a wide range of applications in AEMFCs.展开更多
Acryloyl terminated Poly (ethyleneoxide)macromonomers (PEO-A) with different PEO chain lengths have been prepared by deactivation of PEO alkoxide with acryloyl chloride. A new kind of amphiphilic polystyrene-g-poly (e...Acryloyl terminated Poly (ethyleneoxide)macromonomers (PEO-A) with different PEO chain lengths have been prepared by deactivation of PEO alkoxide with acryloyl chloride. A new kind of amphiphilic polystyrene-g-poly (ethylene oxide)graft copolymer containing both microphase separated and PEO side chain structures has been synthesized from radical copolymerization of PEO-A macromonomer with styrene. After careful purification by a newly-developed method called 'selective dissolution', the well-defined structure of the purified copolymers was confirmed by IR, ~1H-NMR and GPC. Various experimental parameters controlling the copolymerization were studied in detail. The results indicated that the feed ratio of styrene to macromonomer(S/M) was the most important determining factor for the composition of the copolymers. A detailed 'comb- model' was proposed to describe the molecular structure of the graft copolymers. Finally, this amphiphilic graft copolymers may readily form microphase separated structures as clearly indicated by transmission electron microscopy.展开更多
A series of poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS)-4,4′-diphenylmethanediisocyanate(MDI)-poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) multiblock copolymers were synthesized by employing two-step growth polymerization and investigated by AFM,XPS...A series of poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS)-4,4′-diphenylmethanediisocyanate(MDI)-poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) multiblock copolymers were synthesized by employing two-step growth polymerization and investigated by AFM,XPS. contact angle system,protein adsorption and platelets adhesion measurements,respectively.It was found that as the molecular weight of PDMS increased,the surface of copolymers had increasing phase separation,while the increase in the molecular weight of PEG decreased the phase separation extents of the copolymer surface.XPS and contact angle measurements showed that the greater the phase separation extent was,the lower both the surface enrichment of PDMS and the surface free energy of the copolymer film were.The protein adsorption experiments indicated that the best phase separation did not exhibit the best biocompatibility.展开更多
The present paper covers the poly (ethylene oxide) macromer with vinyl benzyl terminal group (PEO-VB) prepared by deactivation of the alkoxide function of mono-functional 'living' PEO chains with vinyl benzyl ...The present paper covers the poly (ethylene oxide) macromer with vinyl benzyl terminal group (PEO-VB) prepared by deactivation of the alkoxide function of mono-functional 'living' PEO chains with vinyl benzyl chloride (VBC). The obtained macromers were subjected to careful purification and detailed characterization. A new kind of amphiphilic polystyrene-g-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-g-PEO) with both mi-crophase separated and PEO side chains was synthesized from radical copolymerization of PEO-VB macromer with styrene monomer. An improved purification method, referred as 'selective dissolvation', was established for the isolation of graft copolymers from the grafting products, and the purity and yield of the purified copolymers were satisfactory. The well-defined structure of the purified copolymers was confirmed by IR, 1H NMR and GPC. The bulk composition of the graft copolymers was determined by a well-established first derivative UV spectrometry. Various experimental parameters controlling the copolymerization were also studied. The results indicate that the feed ratio of macromer to styrene (M/S) was the most important factor in determining the composition of the copolymers. Thus a series of PS-g-PEO with a wide range of bulk compositions were obtained simply by adjusting the value of M/S. As clearly indicated by transmission electron microscopy, this amphiphilic graft copolymers may readily form microphase separated structures.展开更多
The great potential of liquid-crystalline block copolymers(LCBCs)containing photoresponsive mesogens toward novel applications in photonics and nanotechnology has been attracting increasing attention,due to the combin...The great potential of liquid-crystalline block copolymers(LCBCs)containing photoresponsive mesogens toward novel applications in photonics and nanotechnology has been attracting increasing attention,due to the combination of the inherent property of microphase separation of block copolymers and the hierarchically-assembled structures of liquid-crystalline polymers(LCPs).The periodically ordered nanostructures in bulk film of LCBCs can be acquired by supramolecular cooperative motion,derived from the interaction between liquid-crystalline elastic deformation and microphase separation,which are able to improve physical properties of polymer film toward advanced functional applications.Moreover,various micro/nano-patterned structures have been fabricated via light manipulation of photoresponsive LCBCs with good reproducibility and mass production.Thanks to recent developments in synthesis and polymerization techniques,diverse azobenzene-containing LCBCs have been designed,resulting in the creation of a wide variety of novel functions.This review illustrates recent progresses in macroscopic regulation of hierarchical nanostructures in LCBCs towards functional materials.The existing challenges are also discussed,showing perspectives for future studies.展开更多
This work focuses on the relationship between flexibility of molecular chains and thermal properties of polyurethane elastomer（PUE）, which laid the foundation of further research about how to improve thermal propert...This work focuses on the relationship between flexibility of molecular chains and thermal properties of polyurethane elastomer（PUE）, which laid the foundation of further research about how to improve thermal properties of PUE. A series of PUE samples with different flexibility of molecular chains was prepared by using 1,4-butanediol（1,4-BDO）/bisphenol-a（BPA） blends with different mole ratios including9/1, 8/2, 7/3, 6/4 and 5/5. As comparison, PUE extended with pure 1,4-BDO and BPA was also synthesized.These samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）, thermogravimetric analysis（TGA）, dynamic mechanical analysis（DMA）, etc. The results showed that with the decrease in flexibility of molecular chains the glass transition temperature（Tg） increased and low-temperature properties became worse. Besides, all samples had a certain degree of microphase separation, and soft segments in some samples were crystallized, i.e. the decreasing flexibility of molecular chains led to the impossibility of chains tightly packing and crystalline domains forming so that the degree of microphase separation decreased and the thermal properties became worse.展开更多
In this work,the“functionalization-polymerization”(FP)method has been used to construct fullerene-contained double-cable conjugated polymers with“donor-acceptor”backbones.It was realized via synthesizing a fullere...In this work,the“functionalization-polymerization”(FP)method has been used to construct fullerene-contained double-cable conjugated polymers with“donor-acceptor”backbones.It was realized via synthesizing a fullerene-contained monomer and performing Stille polymerization.With this method,a series of double-cable conjugated polymers with different fullerene contents were developed and applied into single-component organic solar cells.The power conversion efficiencies(PCEs)based on these polymers increased from 0.71%to 1.71%with the enhanced fullerene contents.The relatively low PCEs might be originated from the poor microstructure in these polymers.These new conjugated polymers with molecular heterojunction would show potential application in organic electronic devices.展开更多
A series of polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) were synthesized by using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as cross-linker from aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic diisocyanates, and polyol. The PUEs were characterized by Fourier Transf...A series of polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) were synthesized by using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as cross-linker from aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic diisocyanates, and polyol. The PUEs were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), swelling test, hardness test and tensile test. The influence of diisocyanate on microphase separation and properties of PUEs was evaluated.展开更多
A series of PUEs which use β-CD as cross-linker were synthesized. Nanoindentation measurements of mechanical properties of these PUEs were made. Load and depth sensing indentation and nano DMA mode were used to evalu...A series of PUEs which use β-CD as cross-linker were synthesized. Nanoindentation measurements of mechanical properties of these PUEs were made. Load and depth sensing indentation and nano DMA mode were used to evaluate mechanical properties of PUEs in nano-scale. The difference between the results from two modes proved the microphase separation in PUEs and to investigate PUE from hard domains and soft domains was of great significance.展开更多
基金supported by The National Key Research and Development Program of China(2021YFB4001204)National Natural Science Foundation of China(22379143)。
文摘Acid loss and plasticization of phosphoric acid(PA)-doped high-temperature polymer electrolyte membranes(HT-PEMs)are critical limitations to their practical application in fuel cells.To overcome these barriers,poly(terphenyl piperidinium)s constructed from the m-and p-isomers of terphenyl were synthesized to regulate the microstructure of the membrane.Highly rigid p-terphenyl units prompt the formation of moderate PA aggregates,where the ion-pair interaction between piperidinium and biphosphate is reinforced,leading to a reduction in the plasticizing effect.As a result,there are trade-offs between the proton conductivity,mechanical strength,and PA retention of the membranes with varied m/p-isomer ratios.The designed PA-doped PTP-20m membrane exhibits superior ionic conductivity,good mechanical strength,and excellent PA retention over a wide range of temperature(80–160°C)as well as satisfactory resistance to harsh accelerated aging tests.As a result,the membrane presents a desirable combination of performance(1.462 W cm^(-2) under the H_(2)/O_(2)condition,which is 1.5 times higher than that of PBI-based membrane)and durability(300 h at 160°C and 0.2 A cm^(-2))in the fuel cell.The results of this study provide new insights that will guide molecular design from the perspective of microstructure to improve the performance and robustness of HT-PEMs.
文摘The microphase-separating behaviors of two types of star-diblock copolymers （Ax）4（By）4 and （A^Bg）4 in thin films are studied using the simulation technique of dissipative particle dynamics. A variety of ordered mesostructures have been observed and the simulated phase diagrams show obvious symmetries for the （Ax）4（By）a films and asymmetries for the （AxBy）4 films, besides, it is easier for the （Ax）4（By）4 than for the （A^By）4 to carry out microphase separation under the same conditions, which has been recognized in bulk and can be ascribed to the structural difference between the two types of star copolymers. There are some correspondences between the mesostructures formed in the film and those formed in bulk at the same composition fraction. Decreasing the thickness of film and strengthening the A-B repulsion both help the mesostructures enhance the degree of order. Composition fraction dependences of the mean-square radius of gyration in the two types of star copolymer films are almost contrary, which can be attributed to the differences in their respective structures. These findings can provide a guide to designing novel microstructures involving star-diblock copolymers via geometrical confinement.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.21961142018,22101086 and 51873067)Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province(Nos.2021A1515012024 and 2021A1515010271)。
文摘Solid-state electrolytes(SSEs)with high ionic conductivity,mechanical stability,and high thermal stability,as well as the stringent requirement of application in high-temperature fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries is receiving increasing attention.Polymer nanocomposites(PNCs),combining the advantages of inorganic materials with those of polymeric materials,offer numerous opportunities for SSEs design.In this work,we report a facile and general one-pot approach based on polymerization-induced microphase separation(PIMS)to generate PNCs with bi-continuous microphases.This synthetic strategy transforms a homogeneous liquid precursor consisting of polyoxometalates(POMs,H_(3)PW_(12)O_(40),Li_(7)[V_(15)O_(36)(CO_(3))]),poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG)macro-chain-transfer agent,styrene and divinylbenzene monomers,into a robust and transparent monolith.The resulting POMs are uniformly dispersed in the PEG block(PEG/POM)to form a conducting pathway that successfully realizes the effective transfer of protons and lithium ions,while the highly cross-linked polystyrene domains(P(S-co-DVB))as mechanical support provide outstanding mechanical properties and thermal stability.As the POM loading ratio up to 35 wt%,the proton conductivity of nanocomposite reaches as high as 5.99×10^(-4) S/cm at 100℃ in anhydrous environment,which effectively promotes proton transfer under extreme environments.This study broadens the application of fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries in extreme environments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.20621401,50773080, 20834005)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(No.2009CB930603)
文摘We investigated the effects of molecular weight and film thickness on the crystallization and microphase separation in semicrystalline block copolymer polystyrene-block-poly（L-lactic acid） （PS-b-PLLA） thin films, at the early stage of film evolution （when Tg 〈 T 〈 TODT） by in situ hot stage atomic force microscopy. For PS-b-PLLA 1 copolymer which had lower molecular weight and higher PLLA fraction, diffusion-controlled break-out crystallization started easily. For PS-b-PLLA 2 with higher molecular weight, crystallization in nanometer scales occurs in local area. After melting of the two copolymer films, islands were observed at the film surface： PS-b-PLLA 1 film was in a disordered phase mixed state while PS-b-PLLA 2 film formed phase-separated lamellar structure paralleling to the substrate. Crystallization-melting and van der Waals forces drove the island formation in PS-b-PLLA 1 film. Film thickness affected the crystallization rate. Crystals grew very slowly in much thinner film of PS-b-PLLA 1 and remained almost unchanged at long time annealing. The incompatibility between PS and PLLA blocks drove the film fluctuation which subsequently evolved into spinodal-like morphology.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51133003,21274091 and 21774078)the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility under the projects(Nos.10sr0260 and 10sr0126)
文摘A series of mixed, random cylindrical brush copolymers bearing polystyrene（PS） and poly（ε-caprolactone）（PCL） side chains were synthesized via the combination of ring-opening polymerization（ROP） and atom transfer radical polymerization（ATRP）. These novel cylindrical brush copolymers have been characterized by means of nuclear magnetic resonance（NMR） spectroscopy, gel permeation chromatography（GPC） and differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）. It was found that the mikto-armed cylindrical brush copolymers were microphase-separated in bulks and that the morphologies were dependent on the mass ratios of PS to PCL side chains. One of the cylindrical brush copolymers was employed to incorporate into epoxy thermoset to investigate effect of the mikto-armed cylindrical brush architecture on the reaction-induced microphase separation behavior. Depending on the concentration of the cylindrical brush in epoxy, the thermosets can display the morphologies with the spherical, worm-like and lamellar PS microdomains dispersing in continuous thermosetting matrices.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51706166 and 51773163)the Joint Funds of the Equipment Pre-Research of Ministry of Education of China(No.6141A02022225)+1 种基金Sanya Science and Education Innovation Park of Wuhan University of Technology(2020KF0025)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(WUT:2020III038GX)。
文摘Incorporating antibacterial agent into biomimetic coating inspired by natural organisms with micronano structure surface has generated more interest for antifouling applications.In this work,poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS)-based triblock copolymers and sub-20 nm nanoparticles Ag and heterogeneous Fe_(3)O_(4)-coated Ag(Fe_(3)O_(4)@Ag)were used to construct microphase separation topography with oriented copolymer blocks structure.The artificial surface was verified by atomic force microscopy and scanning electron microscopy images.Meanwhile,the surface exhibited relative stable hydrophobic property,which was demonstrated by the water contact angle and dynamic air-bubble contact angle measurements.Consequently,after immersed in BSA solution 24 h and 720 h,the actual BSA absorption amount of the surface with Fe_(3)O_(4)@Ag nanoparticles was as low as 10%and 27%that of the initial BSA amount,respectively.Moreover,the surface also showed remarkable antibacterial performance,which effectively suppressed the growth rate of Escherichia coli.The strategy of constructing the flexible micro p hase separation structure by introducing heterogeneous inorganic antibacterial nanoparticles into a block copolymer substrate opens up a new way to create an antifouling surface coating.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFB3801901)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.52403138 and U19A2095)+1 种基金Institutional Research Fund from Sichuan University(No.2020SCUNL205)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,and 111 Project(No.B20001)。
文摘The development of degradable and chemically recyclable polymers is a promising strategy to address pressing environmental and resource-related challenges.Despite significant progress,there is a need for continuous development of such recyclable polymers.Herein,PPDOPLLA-PU copolymers were synthesized from poly(p-dioxanone)-diol(PPDO-diol)and poly(L-lactide)-diol(PLLA-diol)by chain extension reaction.The chemical structures and microphase structures of PPDO-PLLA-PU were characterized,and their crystalline properties,mechanical properties,and degradation behaviors were further investigated.Significantly,the distribution of PLLA phase in the copolymer matrix showed a rod-like microstructure with a slight orientation,despite the thermodynamic incompatibility of PPDO and PLLA segments.Moreover,on the basis of this microphase separation,PPDO spherulites can crystallize using the interface of the two phases as nucleation sites.Accordingly,the combined effect of above two contributes to the enhanced mechanical properties.In addition,PPDO-PLLA-PU copolymers have good processability and recyclability,making them valuable for a wide range of applications.
文摘In contrast to the predominant mono or difunctionalization of alkenes,the multi-site functionalization of alkenes involving the synergistic formation of more than two new C–C or C–X bonds is much challenging,especially for developing new reaction pathway to afford the functional heterocycle compounds with aggregation-induced emission(AIE)property has been rarely reported.In present work,the multi-site functionalization of in situ generated alkenes with indoles has been developed for the synthesis of diversely functionalized carbazoles through the synergistic construction of multiple C–C bonds and C=O bond.A proposed reaction sequence involving C–H alkenylation/radical oxygen atom transfer/Diels-Alder cycloaddition/dehydrogenative aromatization was supported by experiments and density functional theory calculations.Further derivative carbazole-linked-quinoxaline skeletons represent a class of AIEgens with acceptor-donor-acceptor configuration,which generated the desired twisted intramolecular charge transfer(TICT)AIE properties and could be used as fluorescent probes for detecting the micrometer-sized phase separation of polymer blends.The protocol provides a concise route for the synthesis and application of carbazole-based AIE luminogens.
基金funded by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2022YFB3805300)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.22125801,22005010).
文摘Proton exchange membranes(PEMs)are widely employed in energy conversion and storage devices including fuel cells(FCs),redox flow batteries(RFBs)and PEM water electrolysis(PEMWE).As one of the main components of these devices,a high-performance PEM is always desirable considering the cost challenges from both energy utilization efficiency and production cost.From this century,governments of countries worldwide have introduced PFAS(per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances)restriction related policies,which facilitate the extensive research on non-fluorinated PEMs.Besides,non-fluorinated PEMs become hot topics of all kinds of PEMs due to the advantages including excellent conductivity,high mechanical property,reduced swelling,low cost and reduced ion permeation of electrochemically active species.In this review,various types of non-fluorinated PEMs including main-chain-type hydrocarbon membranes,microphase separation membranes and membranes with rigid-twisted structure are comprehensively summarized.The basic properties of different types of non-fluorinated PEMs including water uptake,swelling ratio,oxidative stability,tensile strength and conductivity are compared and the corresponding application performance in FCs,RFBs and PEMWE are discussed.The state-of-the-art of the structural design in both monomers and polymers is reviewed for the construction of fast ion transport channels and high resistance of free radical attacks.Also,future challenges and possibilities for the development of non-fluorinated PEMs are comprehensively forecasted.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China NSFC(Grant 11725208)Newton Mobility(Grant IE161019)through Royal SocietyNSFC.
文摘Understanding working principles and thermodynamics behind phase separations,which have significant influences on condensed molecular structures and their performances,can inspire to design and fabricate anomalously and desirably mechanoresponsive hydrogels.However,a combination of techniques from physicochemistry and mechanics has yet been established for the phase separation in hydrogels.In this study,a thermodynamic model is firstly formulated to describe solvent-aided phase and microphase separations in the hydrogels,which present significantly improved mechanoresponsive strengths.Flory-Huggins theory and interfacial energy equation have further been applied to model the thermodynamics of concentration-dependent and temperature-dependent phase separations.An intricately detailed phase map has finally been formulated to explore the working principle.The thermodynamic methodology of phase separations,combined with the constitutive stress-strain relationships,has a great potential to explore the working mechanisms in mechanoresponsive hydrogels.
基金This work was supported by the NSF(DMR-0203994).
文摘A series of“hairy-rod”polyimides,BBPA(n),with multiple alkyl side chains was prepared from 3,3',4,4'-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride(BPDA)and 4,4'-biphenyldiamine substituted in the 2,2'-positions with benzoate,whichwas substituted in the 3,4,5-positions with ether side chains of varying lengths.The number of the methylene units,n,inthese alkyl side chains were in even numbers ranging from 8 to 18.Combining techniques of one-dimensional(1D)and 2Dwide angle x-ray diffraction,1D small angle X-ray scattering,differential scanning calorimetry experiments,it was found thatthis series of“hairy-rod”polyimides possess a micro-phase separation between the backbones and side chains.This led to theformation of ordered structures in two different length scales,of which both are hexagonal packing:one is attributed to thealkyl side chains on the sub-nanometer scale,and another is for the whole polymer chains on the nanometer scale.Thedevelopment of the hexagonal structure on the sub-nanometer scale was critically dependent upon the lengths of the alkylside chains.Three relaxation processes were captured by dynamic mechanical analysis,i.e.,segmental motion of thebackbones,α,the melting of the side chain crystals,β_1,which exits only for the materials with longer side chains(n=18,16);and the subglass relaxation of side chains,β_2.The peak relaxation temperature of the α process decreased withincreasing the length of side chains,while the one of the β_2 process increased.The activation energy of the α relaxation wasrelatively independent on the length of side chain,whereas,β_2 process showed the increasing of activation energy withincreasing the length of side chains.
基金support of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant 22278340&22078272)。
文摘Improving the comprehensive performance of anion exchange membranes(AEMs)has a decisive impact on the wide application of anion exchange membrane fuel cells(AEMFCs).Herein,we prepared a series of new poly(phenanthrene-co-p-terphenyl piperidinium)(PPTP3F_(x)-DIL)AEMs with different fluorinated monomers for high performance AEMFCs.The polymerization of fluorinated monomers with other aryl monomers can effectively promote the separation of microphase in the membrane.It also has a high OH-conductivity at a low swelling.The membrane(PPTP3F_(4)-DIL)prepared by polycondensation of 2,2,2-trifluoro-1-(p-tolyl)ethan 1-one monomer achieves a high conductivity of 168.5 mS cm^(-1)at 80℃.At the same time,the water uptake is 40.0%and the swelling ratio is 12.1%.In addition,these membranes also have good mechanical properties and alkaline stability.After 1440 h of treatment in a NaOH(2 M)solution at 80℃,PPTP3F_(x)-DIL still maintains excellent tensile strength(>30.3 MPa)and elongation at break(>43.4%),and the conductivity retention of the PPTP3F_(1)-DIL membrane is 90.3%.The PPTP3F_(4)-DIL-based single cell exhibits a high peak power density(918.1 mW cm^(-2))and excellent durability(100 h)at 80℃.Therefore,these PPTP3F_(x)-DIL membranes have a wide range of applications in AEMFCs.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and the State Education Committee of China
文摘Acryloyl terminated Poly (ethyleneoxide)macromonomers (PEO-A) with different PEO chain lengths have been prepared by deactivation of PEO alkoxide with acryloyl chloride. A new kind of amphiphilic polystyrene-g-poly (ethylene oxide)graft copolymer containing both microphase separated and PEO side chain structures has been synthesized from radical copolymerization of PEO-A macromonomer with styrene. After careful purification by a newly-developed method called 'selective dissolution', the well-defined structure of the purified copolymers was confirmed by IR, ~1H-NMR and GPC. Various experimental parameters controlling the copolymerization were studied in detail. The results indicated that the feed ratio of styrene to macromonomer(S/M) was the most important determining factor for the composition of the copolymers. A detailed 'comb- model' was proposed to describe the molecular structure of the graft copolymers. Finally, this amphiphilic graft copolymers may readily form microphase separated structures as clearly indicated by transmission electron microscopy.
基金supported by the Shanghai Special Nano Foundation and Shanghai Sci.& Tech.Foundation.
文摘A series of poly(dimethylsiloxane)(PDMS)-4,4′-diphenylmethanediisocyanate(MDI)-poly(ethylene glycol)(PEG) multiblock copolymers were synthesized by employing two-step growth polymerization and investigated by AFM,XPS. contact angle system,protein adsorption and platelets adhesion measurements,respectively.It was found that as the molecular weight of PDMS increased,the surface of copolymers had increasing phase separation,while the increase in the molecular weight of PEG decreased the phase separation extents of the copolymer surface.XPS and contact angle measurements showed that the greater the phase separation extent was,the lower both the surface enrichment of PDMS and the surface free energy of the copolymer film were.The protein adsorption experiments indicated that the best phase separation did not exhibit the best biocompatibility.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China The State Education Commission of China
文摘The present paper covers the poly (ethylene oxide) macromer with vinyl benzyl terminal group (PEO-VB) prepared by deactivation of the alkoxide function of mono-functional 'living' PEO chains with vinyl benzyl chloride (VBC). The obtained macromers were subjected to careful purification and detailed characterization. A new kind of amphiphilic polystyrene-g-poly(ethylene oxide) (PS-g-PEO) with both mi-crophase separated and PEO side chains was synthesized from radical copolymerization of PEO-VB macromer with styrene monomer. An improved purification method, referred as 'selective dissolvation', was established for the isolation of graft copolymers from the grafting products, and the purity and yield of the purified copolymers were satisfactory. The well-defined structure of the purified copolymers was confirmed by IR, 1H NMR and GPC. The bulk composition of the graft copolymers was determined by a well-established first derivative UV spectrometry. Various experimental parameters controlling the copolymerization were also studied. The results indicate that the feed ratio of macromer to styrene (M/S) was the most important factor in determining the composition of the copolymers. Thus a series of PS-g-PEO with a wide range of bulk compositions were obtained simply by adjusting the value of M/S. As clearly indicated by transmission electron microscopy, this amphiphilic graft copolymers may readily form microphase separated structures.
基金supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2018YFB0703702)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.51773002,51921002).
文摘The great potential of liquid-crystalline block copolymers(LCBCs)containing photoresponsive mesogens toward novel applications in photonics and nanotechnology has been attracting increasing attention,due to the combination of the inherent property of microphase separation of block copolymers and the hierarchically-assembled structures of liquid-crystalline polymers(LCPs).The periodically ordered nanostructures in bulk film of LCBCs can be acquired by supramolecular cooperative motion,derived from the interaction between liquid-crystalline elastic deformation and microphase separation,which are able to improve physical properties of polymer film toward advanced functional applications.Moreover,various micro/nano-patterned structures have been fabricated via light manipulation of photoresponsive LCBCs with good reproducibility and mass production.Thanks to recent developments in synthesis and polymerization techniques,diverse azobenzene-containing LCBCs have been designed,resulting in the creation of a wide variety of novel functions.This review illustrates recent progresses in macroscopic regulation of hierarchical nanostructures in LCBCs towards functional materials.The existing challenges are also discussed,showing perspectives for future studies.
基金supported financially by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51372200)Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University of Ministry of Education of China (Grant No. NCET-12-1045)+2 种基金Special Program for local serving from Education Department of Shaanxi Provincial Government (Grant No. 2013JC19)Program for Innovation Team in Xi’an University of Technology (Grant No. 108-25605T401)Ph.D. Innovation Fund Projects of Xi’an University of Technology (Fund No. 310-252071501)
文摘This work focuses on the relationship between flexibility of molecular chains and thermal properties of polyurethane elastomer（PUE）, which laid the foundation of further research about how to improve thermal properties of PUE. A series of PUE samples with different flexibility of molecular chains was prepared by using 1,4-butanediol（1,4-BDO）/bisphenol-a（BPA） blends with different mole ratios including9/1, 8/2, 7/3, 6/4 and 5/5. As comparison, PUE extended with pure 1,4-BDO and BPA was also synthesized.These samples were characterized by differential scanning calorimetry（DSC）, thermogravimetric analysis（TGA）, dynamic mechanical analysis（DMA）, etc. The results showed that with the decrease in flexibility of molecular chains the glass transition temperature（Tg） increased and low-temperature properties became worse. Besides, all samples had a certain degree of microphase separation, and soft segments in some samples were crystallized, i.e. the decreasing flexibility of molecular chains led to the impossibility of chains tightly packing and crystalline domains forming so that the degree of microphase separation decreased and the thermal properties became worse.
基金This study was financially supported by Beijing Natural Science Foundation of China.(No.JQ21006)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.92163128,52073016,51773207,21905018 and 21905158)of China+2 种基金This work was further financially supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Nos.buctrc201828 and XK1802-2)the opening Foundation of State Key Laboratory of Organic-Inorganic Composites,Beijing University of Chemical Technology(No.oic-202201006)Jiangxi Provincial Department of Science and Technology(No.20192ACB20009).
文摘In this work,the“functionalization-polymerization”(FP)method has been used to construct fullerene-contained double-cable conjugated polymers with“donor-acceptor”backbones.It was realized via synthesizing a fullerene-contained monomer and performing Stille polymerization.With this method,a series of double-cable conjugated polymers with different fullerene contents were developed and applied into single-component organic solar cells.The power conversion efficiencies(PCEs)based on these polymers increased from 0.71%to 1.71%with the enhanced fullerene contents.The relatively low PCEs might be originated from the poor microstructure in these polymers.These new conjugated polymers with molecular heterojunction would show potential application in organic electronic devices.
文摘A series of polyurethane elastomers (PUEs) were synthesized by using β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) as cross-linker from aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic diisocyanates, and polyol. The PUEs were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), swelling test, hardness test and tensile test. The influence of diisocyanate on microphase separation and properties of PUEs was evaluated.
文摘A series of PUEs which use β-CD as cross-linker were synthesized. Nanoindentation measurements of mechanical properties of these PUEs were made. Load and depth sensing indentation and nano DMA mode were used to evaluate mechanical properties of PUEs in nano-scale. The difference between the results from two modes proved the microphase separation in PUEs and to investigate PUE from hard domains and soft domains was of great significance.
