A couple of novel sulfobetaine copolymer is developed via Michael-type addition reaction. The comonomers, diamines and maleimide react via Michael reaction through UV irradiation using AIBN as photoinitiator producing...A couple of novel sulfobetaine copolymer is developed via Michael-type addition reaction. The comonomers, diamines and maleimide react via Michael reaction through UV irradiation using AIBN as photoinitiator producing polyamine chain. Further, sulfobetaine copolymers were obtained on treatment of the polyamine with sulfopropylating agent, 1,3-propane sultone. These novel sulfobetaine polymers were grafted on silica surface to produce responsive biocompatible surface. This easy straightforward, catalyst free facile protocol for synthesis of polymer grafted surface is useful for developing biomedical devices. Additionally, both the copolymers show fluorescence characteristics.展开更多
Novel, self-associating hybrid copolymers were synthesized via controlled ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of Z-L-lysine (Z-L-Lys-NCA), initiated by amino-functional macroinitiators. A poly(N-isopropy...Novel, self-associating hybrid copolymers were synthesized via controlled ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of Z-L-lysine (Z-L-Lys-NCA), initiated by amino-functional macroinitiators. A poly(N-isopropylacry-lamide) (PNIPAm)-based macroinitiator containing 10 mol% of polyoxyethylene grafts and a terminal primary amine group in the form of ammonium hydrochloride (PNIPAm-g-PEО) was synthesized and used to initiate the ammonium- mediated ring-opening polymerization of NCA described by Dimitrov and Schlaad [1]. Thus, hybrid copolymers ((PNIPAm-g-PEO)-b-PLys) with controlled molar-mass characteristics and functionality were obtained. The potential applications of PNIPAm-based copolymers in the systems for controlled drug release, immobilization of enzymes and protein purification have aroused great interest in the studies of their properties and behaviour. The thermal stability and thermodynamic properties of the copolymers obtained were studied. The differential thermal analysis of polyfunctional hybrid copolymers (PNIPAm-g-PEO)-b-PLys) showed that thermooxidative destruction occurs in two stages: primary, of the unstable fragments (grafted chains of PEO);and secondary, of the main polymer chains of poly(N-isopropylacry-lamide) and poly(L-lysine). The kinetics of thermal degradation was evaluated and the values of the activation energy of the degradation process, changes of Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy for the formation of the activated complex were also calculated.展开更多
The mechanism for the self-assembly of hollow micelles from rod-coil diblock copolymers is proposed. In a coilselective solvent, the diblock copolymers self-assemble into a layered structure. It is assumed that the ri...The mechanism for the self-assembly of hollow micelles from rod-coil diblock copolymers is proposed. In a coilselective solvent, the diblock copolymers self-assemble into a layered structure. It is assumed that the rigid rods form an elastic shell whose properties are dictated by a bending energy. For a hollow micelle, the coils outside the micelle form a brush, while the coils inside the micelle can be in two different states, a brush or an adsorption layer, corresponding to symmetric or asymmetric configurations, respectively. The total energy density of a hollow micelle is calculated by combining the interfacial energy, elastic bending energy and the stretching energy of the brushes. For the asymmetric configuration with a polymer brush on one side, the competition between the elastic bending energy and the brush stretching energy leads to a finite spontaneous curvature, stabilizing hollow spherical micelles. Comparison of the free energy density for different geometries demonstrates that transitions for the different geometry micelles are controlled by the degree of polymerization of the coils and the length of the rods. These results are in agreement with the experimental results.展开更多
Block copolymer(BCP) nanolithography offers potential beyond traditional photolithographic limits, yet reliably producing low-defect, perpendicular domains remains challenging. We introduce a microenvironmentdriven is...Block copolymer(BCP) nanolithography offers potential beyond traditional photolithographic limits, yet reliably producing low-defect, perpendicular domains remains challenging. We introduce a microenvironmentdriven isothermal annealing method for directed self-assembly of BCP thin films. By annealing films at stable temperature in a quasi-sealed, inert-gas chamber, our approach promotes highly uniform perpendicular lamellar nanopatterns over large areas, effectively mitigating environmental fluctuations and emulating solvent-vapor annealing without solvent exposure. Resulting BCP structures demonstrate enhanced spatial coherence and notably low defect density. Furthermore, we successfully transfer these nanopatterns into precise metal nano-line arrays,confirming the method's capability for high-fidelity pattern replication. This scalable, solvent-free technique provides a robust, reliable route for high-resolution nanopatterning in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.展开更多
Novel segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) copolymers were synthesized using two-step solventless bulk polymerization. 4,4’-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) were used to form hard s...Novel segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) copolymers were synthesized using two-step solventless bulk polymerization. 4,4’-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) were used to form hard segment of TPU and α,ω-dihydroxy-[poly(propyleneoxide)-poly (dimethylsiloxane)-poly(propyleneoxide)] (α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO)) was used to form soft segment of TPU, where the molar ratio of the –N=C=O/OH was 1.02 and the hard segment weight percentage was 30%. A series of TPUs were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The investigation of triblock oligomer’s PPO molecular weight impact on the derived TPU’s mechanical properties, thermal performance, surface water repellency and morphology performance was carried by Instron material tester, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water contact angles (WCA), scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), respectively. FT-IR confirmed α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO) well cooperating into urethane structure and analyzed hydrogen bonding between N-H group with hard segment C=O group and N-H group with soft segment C-O-C group. DSC and WAXD results showed α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO) segments crystallization. SEM-EDX results showed that the presence of a spherulitic morphology, which arose from the crystallization of the PPO segments. The thermal properties measured by TGA and DSC were slightly affected by molecular weight of PPO and microphase separation. The weight loss of TPUs started between 294°C and 300°C, and Tg was in the range of -70°C to -107°C. TPU copolymers’ surface hydrophobicity property was excellent with WCA range of 95°?to 112°. TPU-3 with 1000 molecular weight PPO has the optimized mechanical properties with tensile strength 16.4 MPa and the modulus at 100% elongation 6.2 MPa and elongation 398%.展开更多
The homopolymerization and copolymerization of glycolide (GA) and lactide (LA) are des-cribed. The resulting polymers are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC),thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 300 ...The homopolymerization and copolymerization of glycolide (GA) and lactide (LA) are des-cribed. The resulting polymers are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC),thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 300 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR), infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The rheological properties of PGA andPGLA 910 are evaluated by shear experiments. The biodegradation has been studied in vivo. Theresults show that the polyesters can be absorbed by the muscles of rabbits after 60 days.展开更多
The synthesis of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline-b-tetrahydrofurane-b-2-methyl-2-oxazoline) triblock copolymer of low molar mass has been carried out. Characterization of the purified polymer by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopie...The synthesis of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline-b-tetrahydrofurane-b-2-methyl-2-oxazoline) triblock copolymer of low molar mass has been carried out. Characterization of the purified polymer by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies is described. These block copolymers did not give DNA containing polyplexes. The in vivo transfection properties were investigated by injection of tibialis muscles and intratracheal administration of female Swiss mice. These triblock copolymers with a molar ratio [2-methyl-2-oxazoline units]/[tetrahydrofurane units] in the 3 - 5 range gave a higher transfection efficiency than that of Lutrol or of PE6400 which are the gold standards of this transfection technique. Hydrolysis increased the performances of muscle transfection, showing the beneficial effect of the presence of positive charges, but was clearly detrimental to the transfection efficiency of pulmonary epithelium.展开更多
Amphiphilic block copolymers poly(LysAA-b-DMS) consisting of a hydrophilic poly(N-α-acrylamide-L-lysine) [poly(LysAA)] segment with different molecular weights and a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segment we...Amphiphilic block copolymers poly(LysAA-b-DMS) consisting of a hydrophilic poly(N-α-acrylamide-L-lysine) [poly(LysAA)] segment with different molecular weights and a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segment were prepared as follows. The precursor copolymer poly(Boc-LysAA-OtBu-b-PDMS) was obtained from radical polymerization of N-α-acrylamide-N-ε-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-lysine-tert-butylester (Boc-LysAA-OtBu) initiated with 4,4’-azobis(polydimethylsiloxane 4-cyanopentanoate) (azo-PDMS) with the molecular weight of PDMS Mw = 4.3 × 103 in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) as a chain-transfer agent. Removal of the protecting groups of the precursor copolymer was carried out in 80% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous solution to give poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3. The weight average molecular weight of poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3 was Mw = 1.02 × 104 – 2.52 × 104. From the 1H-NMR and fluorescence spectra measurements, poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3 was determined to self-organize and form core-shell micelles in water. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) increased to 1000 - 4000 mg·L–1 with increasing molar ratio of the poly(LysAA) segment from 0.42 to 0.65. From morphological analysis with a scanning probe microscope (SPM), poly(LysAA-b-DMS) has microphase-separated structures made up of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions with the domain size ranging from several tens to several hundreds of nanometers. Inhibition of thrombin activity of poly(LysAA-b-DMS) was evaluated from the Michaelis constant (KM) and catalytic activity (kcat) for the enzymatic reaction of thrombin and synthetic substrate S-2238 in the presence of poly(LysAA-b-DMS). The KM and kcat were 0.10 - 0.11 mM and 4.04 × 105 – 4.26 × 105 min–1, respectively. Fibrinolytic activity was also verified from the transformation of plasminogen to plasmin by tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) using synthetic substrate S-2251 in the presence of poly(LysAA-b-DMS). The KM and kcat were 0.07 mM and 5.73 × 106 –5.95 × 106 min–1, respectively.展开更多
The effect of crystallization conditions of poly(butylene succinate)(PBS) component on the crystallization of poly(tetramethylene oxide)(PTMO) component in their segment block copolymer, with a higher PTMO content(PTM...The effect of crystallization conditions of poly(butylene succinate)(PBS) component on the crystallization of poly(tetramethylene oxide)(PTMO) component in their segment block copolymer, with a higher PTMO content(PTMO mass fraction is 67%), was investigated by DSC and temperature-dependent FTIR. It is found that the isothermal crystallization time(tIC) of PBS has an effect on the crystallization behavior of PTMO component. Perturbation correlation move-window two-dimensional(PCMW2 D) correlation analysis and generalized 2 D correlation analysis(2 DIR) were performed to explore the origin of this phenomenon. The PCMW2 D and 2 DIR results show that the correlation intensity peak observed at around 20 ℃ for PTMO is due to the PTMO chains movements forced by the PBS chains folded movements. If tIC of PBS at temperature of 20 ℃ is prolonged, more PTMO components are incorporated in the region between PBS lamellae and the peak at-7.6 ℃(belonging to less-constricted PTMO chains) changes smaller and even disappears, while the peak at-16.3 ℃ belonging to more-constricted PTMO chains gets bigger. A crystallization model was also established in this study. The results of tensile testing showed that tensile strength slightly increased and elongation at break decreased with increasing heat treatment time at 40 ℃.展开更多
Novel boron-containing bioengineering copoly- mer and its α-hydoxy-ω-methoxy-poly(ethy- lene oxide (PEO) macrobranched derivatives were synthesized by (1) partially amidolysis of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-methyl vin...Novel boron-containing bioengineering copoly- mer and its α-hydoxy-ω-methoxy-poly(ethy- lene oxide (PEO) macrobranched derivatives were synthesized by (1) partially amidolysis of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-methyl vinyl ether) w?th ethanolamine ester of diphenylboronic acid and (2) esterification of synthesized B-con- taining copolymers with PEO. They had a com- bination of hydrophilic/hydrophobic linkages, free carboxylic groups, positive charges and an ionized organoboron linkage as antitumor sites, along with an ability to interact with HeLa cells. The structure, composition and properties (cy- totoxicity and antitumor activity) of synthe- sized copolymers were investigated. In vitro cytotoxicity results, obtained by the fluore scence microscopy measurements indicate that unlike the virgin copolymer, boron-containing and PEO macrobranched derivatives exhibit higher antitumor activity. It was found that organoboron copolymer exhibits the most apo- ptotic and necrotic effects against HeLa cells whereas a minor effect relative to cancer cells was observed on L929 Fibroblast cells.展开更多
In order to realize a metal containing nano-structure, a block-copolymer containing alkynyl groups in one block was designed and synthesized by living ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) technique. The newly...In order to realize a metal containing nano-structure, a block-copolymer containing alkynyl groups in one block was designed and synthesized by living ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) technique. The newly developed bis-3-bromopyridine complex of Grubbs catalyst was employed in the series of polymerization and it yielded the desired polymers with great molecular weight control and narrow polydispersities. The characteristics of the block copolymers were investigated by gel permeation chromatography, H- and 13H- NMR spectroscopy. Complexation of the alkynyl group containing block copolymers by treatment with dicobalt octacarbonyl occurred smoothly in 5 min at room temperature. GPC analysis before and after cobalt complexation indicated a significant increase of the hydrodynamic volume. AFM images of the films before and after the complexation also showed a noticeable change in its morphology where grain sizes become smaller and more regular upon complexation.展开更多
The thermo- and pH-responsive hydrogels were synthesized via copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and al-lylamine hydrochloride monomers. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogels was studied as a function of tem...The thermo- and pH-responsive hydrogels were synthesized via copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and al-lylamine hydrochloride monomers. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogels was studied as a function of temperature and pH in aqueous solutions. It was shown that controlled alteration of the hydrogel phase transition temperature can be achieved by changing their composition and pH of the environment. Increase in content of hydrophilic allylamine from 10 to 60 wt% in monomer mixture causes a shift of the phase transition temperature from 35oC to 47oC. Hydrogels with N-isopropylacrylamide/allylamine hydrochloride mass ratio of 3:2 show the highest pH-response. Values of average molecular weight between polymer cross-links, , and Flory parameter, χ, were calculated using temperature dependences of the equilibrium swelling of the synthesized hydrogel.展开更多
The surface properties of water soluble copolymers vinyl ethers of monoethanolamine and ethylene glycol with sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonate were investigated by studying adsorption at the aqueous soluti...The surface properties of water soluble copolymers vinyl ethers of monoethanolamine and ethylene glycol with sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonate were investigated by studying adsorption at the aqueous solution – air interface. It is found that copolymers have considerably higher surface activity in comparison with poly- sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonate.展开更多
The random copolymers of isobutylene (IB) with polar comonomers of 4-acetoxystyrene (ACS) or 4-tert-butoxystyrene (TBO), P(IB-co-ACS) and P(IB-co-TBO), could be successfully synthesized via cationic copolymerization w...The random copolymers of isobutylene (IB) with polar comonomers of 4-acetoxystyrene (ACS) or 4-tert-butoxystyrene (TBO), P(IB-co-ACS) and P(IB-co-TBO), could be successfully synthesized via cationic copolymerization with FeCh-based initiating system. The kinetics of the cationic copolymerization process was in situ investigated by inserting a diamond probe into the reaction system by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The chemical structure and incorporation content of polar comonomers in the copolymers were characterized by GPC with RI/UV dual detectors and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding functionalized random copolymers of IB with vinyl phenol P(IB-co-POH) carrying phenolic hydroxyl side groups could be further prepared via the complete hydrolysis of acetoxyl side groups in P(IB-co-ACS) or tert-butoxyl side groups in P(IB-co-TBO) copolymers. The functionalized P(IB-co-POH) copolymers became hydrophilic with water contact angle (WCA) of ca. 80° for the self-assembly in hot water, compared to the hydrophobic polyisobutylene with WCA of ca. 110°. The functionalized P(IB-co-POH) copolymers also displayed an excellent self-healing property due to the interaction of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and formation of three dimentional supramolecular networks from phenolic hydroxyl side groups. Furthermore, P(IB-co-POH) copolymers also provided a good matrix for the homogeneous dispersion for silica nanoparticles due to the formation of hydrogen bonding between copolymer chains and silica nanoparticles.展开更多
Increasing environmental concerns about limiting harmful emissions has necessitated sulfur-and phosphorus-free green lubricant additives.Although boron-containing compounds have been widely investigated as green lubri...Increasing environmental concerns about limiting harmful emissions has necessitated sulfur-and phosphorus-free green lubricant additives.Although boron-containing compounds have been widely investigated as green lubricant additives,their macromolecular analogs have been rarely considered yet to develop environmentally friendly lubricant additives.In this work,a series of boron-containing copolymers have been synthesized by free-radical copolymerization of stearyl methacrylate and isopropenyl boronic acid pinacol ester with different feeding ratios(S_(n)-r-B_(m),n=1,m=1/3,1,2,3,5,9).The resulting copolymers of S_(n)-r-B_(m)(n=1,m=1/3,1,2,3,5)are readily dispersed in the PAO-10 base oil and form micelle-like aggregates with hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 9.7 to 52 nm.SRV-IV oscillating reciprocating tribological tests on ball-on-flat steel pairs show that compared with the base oil of PAO-10,the friction coefficients and wear volumes of the base oil solutions of S_(n)-r-B_(m)decrease considerably up to 62%and 97%,respectively.Moreover,the base oil solution of S_(1)-r-B_(1)exhibits an excellent load-bearing capacity of(850±100)N.These superior lubricating properties are due to the formation of protective tribofilms comprising S_(n)-r-B_(m),boron oxide,and iron oxide compounds on the lubricated steel surface.Therefore,the boron-containing copolymers can be regarded as a novel class of environmentally friendly lubricating oil macroadditives for efficient friction and wear reduction without sulfur and phosphorus elements.展开更多
A significant challenge in developing block copolymer photonic crystals is constructing low-symmetric ordered phases,which are essential for achieving a complete photonic band gap.Here,we propose a promising strategy ...A significant challenge in developing block copolymer photonic crystals is constructing low-symmetric ordered phases,which are essential for achieving a complete photonic band gap.Here,we propose a promising strategy to create low-symmetric ordered morphologies by incorporating shape-anisotropic rod-like side chains into block copolymers.Using dissipative particle dynamics simulations,we demonstrate that block copolymers with longer rod-like side chains can self-assemble into a hexagonally packed columnar phase characterized by a low-symmetric rectangular cross-section.Photonic band structure calculations reveal that this low-symmetric columnar phase can exhibit a complete photonic band gap,with the gap size dependent on the aspect ratio of the rectangular cross-sections of the columns.Our findings suggest an effective approach to constructing low-symmetric photonic crystals through the self-assembly of block copolymers with shape-anisotropic segments.展开更多
The optimization of polymer structures aims to determine an optimal sequence or topology that achieves a given target property or structural performance.This inverse design problem involves searching within a vast com...The optimization of polymer structures aims to determine an optimal sequence or topology that achieves a given target property or structural performance.This inverse design problem involves searching within a vast combinatorial phase space defined by components,se-quences,and topologies,and is often computationally intractable due to its NP-hard nature.At the core of this challenge lies the need to evalu-ate complex correlations among structural variables,a classical problem in both statistical physics and combinatorial optimization.To address this,we adopt a mean-field approach that decouples direct variable-variable interactions into effective interactions between each variable and an auxiliary field.The simulated bifurcation(SB)algorithm is employed as a mean-field-based optimization framework.It constructs a Hamiltonian dynamical system by introducing generalized momentum fields,enabling efficient decoupling and dynamic evolution of strongly coupled struc-tural variables.Using the sequence optimization of a linear copolymer adsorbing on a solid surface as a case study,we demonstrate the applica-bility of the SB algorithm to high-dimensional,non-differentiable combinatorial optimization problems.Our results show that SB can efficiently discover polymer sequences with excellent adsorption performance within a reasonable computational time.Furthermore,it exhibits robust con-vergence and high parallel scalability across large design spaces.The approach developed in this work offers a new computational pathway for polymer structure optimization.It also lays a theoretical foundation for future extensions to topological design problems,such as optimizing the number and placement of side chains,as well as the co-optimization of sequence and topology.展开更多
Spatial confinement of block copolymers can induce frustrations,which can further be utilized to regulate self-assembled structures,thus providing an efficient route for fabricating novel structures.We studied the sel...Spatial confinement of block copolymers can induce frustrations,which can further be utilized to regulate self-assembled structures,thus providing an efficient route for fabricating novel structures.We studied the self-assembly of AB di-block copolymers(di-BCPs)confined in Janus spherical nanocavities using simulations,and explained the structure formation mechanisms.In the case of a strongly selective cavity wall,all the lamella-forming,gyroid-forming,and cylinder-forming di-BCPs can form interfacial frustration-induced Janus concentric perforated lamellar nanoparticles,whose outermost is a Janus spherical shell and the internal is a sphere with concentric perforated lamellar structure.In particular,Janus concentric perforated lamellar nanoparticles with holes distributed only near the equatorial plane were obtained in both lamella-forming and gyroid-forming di-BCPs,directly reflecting the effect of interfacial frustration.The minority-block domain of the cylider-forming di-BCPs may form hemispherical perforated lamellar structures with holes distributed in parallel layers with a specific orientation.For symmetric di-BCPs,both the A and B domains in each nanoparticle are continuous,interchangeable,and have rotational symmetry.While for gyroid-forming and cylinder-forming di-BCPs,only the majority-block domains are continuous in each nanoparticle,and holes in the minority-block domains usually have rotational symmetry.In the case of a weakly selective cavity wall,the inhomogeneity of the cavity wall results in structures having a specific orientation(such as flower-like and branched structures in gyroid-forming and cylinder-forming di-BCPs)and a perforated wetting layer with uniformly distributed holes.The novel nanoparticles obtained may have potential applications in nanotechnology as functional nanostructures or nanoparticles.展开更多
Polymers that exhibit both biodegradability and chemical recyclability offer a promising solution to environmental pollution and resource scarcity. Poly(glycolic acid)(PGA) is a promising chemically recyclable polymer...Polymers that exhibit both biodegradability and chemical recyclability offer a promising solution to environmental pollution and resource scarcity. Poly(glycolic acid)(PGA) is a promising chemically recyclable polymer, characterized by its seawater degradability and high mechanical strength. In this study, aliphatic polycarbonates were synthesized through melt polycondensation and subsequently copolymerized with glycolide(GL) to produce chemically recyclable PGA based triblock copolymers with well-defined structures. The properties of these copolymers, including their thermal properties, crystallization behavior, and mechanical performance, can be effectively adjusted by modifying the structure and content of the middle block. Furthermore, an in-depth investigation reveals that the pyrolysis process involves ester exchange, radical, and back-biting reactions. In addition, the high-efficiency "Monomer↔Copolymer" chemical recycling loop has been established, achieving a remarkable yield exceeding 88% along with a purity greater than 99%.展开更多
The associative properties of methoxy (CH3O-) ended E58B11 and hydroxyl (-OH) ended E56B19 oxyethylene-oxybuty- lene diblock copolymers in aqueous solution at different temperature are reported in this paper. For both...The associative properties of methoxy (CH3O-) ended E58B11 and hydroxyl (-OH) ended E56B19 oxyethylene-oxybuty- lene diblock copolymers in aqueous solution at different temperature are reported in this paper. For both copolymers, E represents an oxyethylene (-[CH2CH2O]-) unit and B an oxybutylene (-[CH(C2H5)CH2O]-) unit while the subscripts denote the number average block length. Surface tension measurements were used to find out surface excess concentrations (Γm), area per molecule (αs1 ) at air/water interface and Gibbs free energy for adsorption (△G0ads ) for the pre-micellar region at four temperatures. Likewise thermodynamic parameters of micellization such as, critical micelle concentrations (CMC), enthalpy of micellization (△H0mic ), standard free energy of micellization (△G0mic) and entropy of micellization (△S0mic ), were also obtained using surface tension measurements. Solution densities were used to deter-mine the partial specific volume of micelle ( Vmic) and micellar density (ρmic). Dilute solution viscosities have been used to estimate the intrinsic viscosities [η], solute-solvent interaction parameter (KH) and hydration value of micelle (Wh) at various temperatures. The effect of temperature on the micelle properties is also discussed.展开更多
文摘A couple of novel sulfobetaine copolymer is developed via Michael-type addition reaction. The comonomers, diamines and maleimide react via Michael reaction through UV irradiation using AIBN as photoinitiator producing polyamine chain. Further, sulfobetaine copolymers were obtained on treatment of the polyamine with sulfopropylating agent, 1,3-propane sultone. These novel sulfobetaine polymers were grafted on silica surface to produce responsive biocompatible surface. This easy straightforward, catalyst free facile protocol for synthesis of polymer grafted surface is useful for developing biomedical devices. Additionally, both the copolymers show fluorescence characteristics.
文摘Novel, self-associating hybrid copolymers were synthesized via controlled ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydride of Z-L-lysine (Z-L-Lys-NCA), initiated by amino-functional macroinitiators. A poly(N-isopropylacry-lamide) (PNIPAm)-based macroinitiator containing 10 mol% of polyoxyethylene grafts and a terminal primary amine group in the form of ammonium hydrochloride (PNIPAm-g-PEО) was synthesized and used to initiate the ammonium- mediated ring-opening polymerization of NCA described by Dimitrov and Schlaad [1]. Thus, hybrid copolymers ((PNIPAm-g-PEO)-b-PLys) with controlled molar-mass characteristics and functionality were obtained. The potential applications of PNIPAm-based copolymers in the systems for controlled drug release, immobilization of enzymes and protein purification have aroused great interest in the studies of their properties and behaviour. The thermal stability and thermodynamic properties of the copolymers obtained were studied. The differential thermal analysis of polyfunctional hybrid copolymers (PNIPAm-g-PEO)-b-PLys) showed that thermooxidative destruction occurs in two stages: primary, of the unstable fragments (grafted chains of PEO);and secondary, of the main polymer chains of poly(N-isopropylacry-lamide) and poly(L-lysine). The kinetics of thermal degradation was evaluated and the values of the activation energy of the degradation process, changes of Gibbs free energy, enthalpy and entropy for the formation of the activated complex were also calculated.
文摘The mechanism for the self-assembly of hollow micelles from rod-coil diblock copolymers is proposed. In a coilselective solvent, the diblock copolymers self-assemble into a layered structure. It is assumed that the rigid rods form an elastic shell whose properties are dictated by a bending energy. For a hollow micelle, the coils outside the micelle form a brush, while the coils inside the micelle can be in two different states, a brush or an adsorption layer, corresponding to symmetric or asymmetric configurations, respectively. The total energy density of a hollow micelle is calculated by combining the interfacial energy, elastic bending energy and the stretching energy of the brushes. For the asymmetric configuration with a polymer brush on one side, the competition between the elastic bending energy and the brush stretching energy leads to a finite spontaneous curvature, stabilizing hollow spherical micelles. Comparison of the free energy density for different geometries demonstrates that transitions for the different geometry micelles are controlled by the degree of polymerization of the coils and the length of the rods. These results are in agreement with the experimental results.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.U20A20168 and 62404120)the National Key R&D Program (Grant No.2022YFB3204100)+2 种基金the Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of CPSF (Grant Nos.GZB20240335 and GZC20231216)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No.2025T180151)the Initiative Scientific Research Program of the School of Integrated Circuits,Tsinghua University。
文摘Block copolymer(BCP) nanolithography offers potential beyond traditional photolithographic limits, yet reliably producing low-defect, perpendicular domains remains challenging. We introduce a microenvironmentdriven isothermal annealing method for directed self-assembly of BCP thin films. By annealing films at stable temperature in a quasi-sealed, inert-gas chamber, our approach promotes highly uniform perpendicular lamellar nanopatterns over large areas, effectively mitigating environmental fluctuations and emulating solvent-vapor annealing without solvent exposure. Resulting BCP structures demonstrate enhanced spatial coherence and notably low defect density. Furthermore, we successfully transfer these nanopatterns into precise metal nano-line arrays,confirming the method's capability for high-fidelity pattern replication. This scalable, solvent-free technique provides a robust, reliable route for high-resolution nanopatterning in advanced semiconductor manufacturing.
文摘Novel segmented thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) copolymers were synthesized using two-step solventless bulk polymerization. 4,4’-methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) and 1,4-Butanediol (BDO) were used to form hard segment of TPU and α,ω-dihydroxy-[poly(propyleneoxide)-poly (dimethylsiloxane)-poly(propyleneoxide)] (α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO)) was used to form soft segment of TPU, where the molar ratio of the –N=C=O/OH was 1.02 and the hard segment weight percentage was 30%. A series of TPUs were characterized by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The investigation of triblock oligomer’s PPO molecular weight impact on the derived TPU’s mechanical properties, thermal performance, surface water repellency and morphology performance was carried by Instron material tester, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), water contact angles (WCA), scanning electron microscope and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), respectively. FT-IR confirmed α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO) well cooperating into urethane structure and analyzed hydrogen bonding between N-H group with hard segment C=O group and N-H group with soft segment C-O-C group. DSC and WAXD results showed α,ω-dihydroxy-(PPO-PDMS-PPO) segments crystallization. SEM-EDX results showed that the presence of a spherulitic morphology, which arose from the crystallization of the PPO segments. The thermal properties measured by TGA and DSC were slightly affected by molecular weight of PPO and microphase separation. The weight loss of TPUs started between 294°C and 300°C, and Tg was in the range of -70°C to -107°C. TPU copolymers’ surface hydrophobicity property was excellent with WCA range of 95°?to 112°. TPU-3 with 1000 molecular weight PPO has the optimized mechanical properties with tensile strength 16.4 MPa and the modulus at 100% elongation 6.2 MPa and elongation 398%.
文摘The homopolymerization and copolymerization of glycolide (GA) and lactide (LA) are des-cribed. The resulting polymers are characterized by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC),thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), 300 MHz proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy(NMR), infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The rheological properties of PGA andPGLA 910 are evaluated by shear experiments. The biodegradation has been studied in vivo. Theresults show that the polyesters can be absorbed by the muscles of rabbits after 60 days.
文摘The synthesis of poly(2-methyl-2-oxazoline-b-tetrahydrofurane-b-2-methyl-2-oxazoline) triblock copolymer of low molar mass has been carried out. Characterization of the purified polymer by 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopies is described. These block copolymers did not give DNA containing polyplexes. The in vivo transfection properties were investigated by injection of tibialis muscles and intratracheal administration of female Swiss mice. These triblock copolymers with a molar ratio [2-methyl-2-oxazoline units]/[tetrahydrofurane units] in the 3 - 5 range gave a higher transfection efficiency than that of Lutrol or of PE6400 which are the gold standards of this transfection technique. Hydrolysis increased the performances of muscle transfection, showing the beneficial effect of the presence of positive charges, but was clearly detrimental to the transfection efficiency of pulmonary epithelium.
文摘Amphiphilic block copolymers poly(LysAA-b-DMS) consisting of a hydrophilic poly(N-α-acrylamide-L-lysine) [poly(LysAA)] segment with different molecular weights and a hydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) segment were prepared as follows. The precursor copolymer poly(Boc-LysAA-OtBu-b-PDMS) was obtained from radical polymerization of N-α-acrylamide-N-ε-tert-butoxycarbonyl-L-lysine-tert-butylester (Boc-LysAA-OtBu) initiated with 4,4’-azobis(polydimethylsiloxane 4-cyanopentanoate) (azo-PDMS) with the molecular weight of PDMS Mw = 4.3 × 103 in the presence of 2-mercaptoethanol (2-ME) as a chain-transfer agent. Removal of the protecting groups of the precursor copolymer was carried out in 80% trifluoroacetic acid aqueous solution to give poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3. The weight average molecular weight of poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3 was Mw = 1.02 × 104 – 2.52 × 104. From the 1H-NMR and fluorescence spectra measurements, poly(LysAA-b-DMS)-1-3 was determined to self-organize and form core-shell micelles in water. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) increased to 1000 - 4000 mg·L–1 with increasing molar ratio of the poly(LysAA) segment from 0.42 to 0.65. From morphological analysis with a scanning probe microscope (SPM), poly(LysAA-b-DMS) has microphase-separated structures made up of hydrophilic and hydrophobic regions with the domain size ranging from several tens to several hundreds of nanometers. Inhibition of thrombin activity of poly(LysAA-b-DMS) was evaluated from the Michaelis constant (KM) and catalytic activity (kcat) for the enzymatic reaction of thrombin and synthetic substrate S-2238 in the presence of poly(LysAA-b-DMS). The KM and kcat were 0.10 - 0.11 mM and 4.04 × 105 – 4.26 × 105 min–1, respectively. Fibrinolytic activity was also verified from the transformation of plasminogen to plasmin by tissue plasminogen activator (t-PA) using synthetic substrate S-2251 in the presence of poly(LysAA-b-DMS). The KM and kcat were 0.07 mM and 5.73 × 106 –5.95 × 106 min–1, respectively.
基金Funded by the Science and Technology Program of Sichuan,China(No.2016FZ0033)the Science and Technology Program of Sichuan Luzhou,China(No.2016-S-63(1/3)
文摘The effect of crystallization conditions of poly(butylene succinate)(PBS) component on the crystallization of poly(tetramethylene oxide)(PTMO) component in their segment block copolymer, with a higher PTMO content(PTMO mass fraction is 67%), was investigated by DSC and temperature-dependent FTIR. It is found that the isothermal crystallization time(tIC) of PBS has an effect on the crystallization behavior of PTMO component. Perturbation correlation move-window two-dimensional(PCMW2 D) correlation analysis and generalized 2 D correlation analysis(2 DIR) were performed to explore the origin of this phenomenon. The PCMW2 D and 2 DIR results show that the correlation intensity peak observed at around 20 ℃ for PTMO is due to the PTMO chains movements forced by the PBS chains folded movements. If tIC of PBS at temperature of 20 ℃ is prolonged, more PTMO components are incorporated in the region between PBS lamellae and the peak at-7.6 ℃(belonging to less-constricted PTMO chains) changes smaller and even disappears, while the peak at-16.3 ℃ belonging to more-constricted PTMO chains gets bigger. A crystallization model was also established in this study. The results of tensile testing showed that tensile strength slightly increased and elongation at break decreased with increasing heat treatment time at 40 ℃.
文摘Novel boron-containing bioengineering copoly- mer and its α-hydoxy-ω-methoxy-poly(ethy- lene oxide (PEO) macrobranched derivatives were synthesized by (1) partially amidolysis of poly(maleic anhydride-alt-methyl vinyl ether) w?th ethanolamine ester of diphenylboronic acid and (2) esterification of synthesized B-con- taining copolymers with PEO. They had a com- bination of hydrophilic/hydrophobic linkages, free carboxylic groups, positive charges and an ionized organoboron linkage as antitumor sites, along with an ability to interact with HeLa cells. The structure, composition and properties (cy- totoxicity and antitumor activity) of synthe- sized copolymers were investigated. In vitro cytotoxicity results, obtained by the fluore scence microscopy measurements indicate that unlike the virgin copolymer, boron-containing and PEO macrobranched derivatives exhibit higher antitumor activity. It was found that organoboron copolymer exhibits the most apo- ptotic and necrotic effects against HeLa cells whereas a minor effect relative to cancer cells was observed on L929 Fibroblast cells.
文摘In order to realize a metal containing nano-structure, a block-copolymer containing alkynyl groups in one block was designed and synthesized by living ring opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) technique. The newly developed bis-3-bromopyridine complex of Grubbs catalyst was employed in the series of polymerization and it yielded the desired polymers with great molecular weight control and narrow polydispersities. The characteristics of the block copolymers were investigated by gel permeation chromatography, H- and 13H- NMR spectroscopy. Complexation of the alkynyl group containing block copolymers by treatment with dicobalt octacarbonyl occurred smoothly in 5 min at room temperature. GPC analysis before and after cobalt complexation indicated a significant increase of the hydrodynamic volume. AFM images of the films before and after the complexation also showed a noticeable change in its morphology where grain sizes become smaller and more regular upon complexation.
文摘The thermo- and pH-responsive hydrogels were synthesized via copolymerization of N-isopropylacrylamide and al-lylamine hydrochloride monomers. The equilibrium swelling of the hydrogels was studied as a function of temperature and pH in aqueous solutions. It was shown that controlled alteration of the hydrogel phase transition temperature can be achieved by changing their composition and pH of the environment. Increase in content of hydrophilic allylamine from 10 to 60 wt% in monomer mixture causes a shift of the phase transition temperature from 35oC to 47oC. Hydrogels with N-isopropylacrylamide/allylamine hydrochloride mass ratio of 3:2 show the highest pH-response. Values of average molecular weight between polymer cross-links, , and Flory parameter, χ, were calculated using temperature dependences of the equilibrium swelling of the synthesized hydrogel.
文摘The surface properties of water soluble copolymers vinyl ethers of monoethanolamine and ethylene glycol with sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonate were investigated by studying adsorption at the aqueous solution – air interface. It is found that copolymers have considerably higher surface activity in comparison with poly- sodium 2-acrylamido-2-methyl-propanesulfonate.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21574007 and 51521062)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. XK1802-2)
文摘The random copolymers of isobutylene (IB) with polar comonomers of 4-acetoxystyrene (ACS) or 4-tert-butoxystyrene (TBO), P(IB-co-ACS) and P(IB-co-TBO), could be successfully synthesized via cationic copolymerization with FeCh-based initiating system. The kinetics of the cationic copolymerization process was in situ investigated by inserting a diamond probe into the reaction system by ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. The chemical structure and incorporation content of polar comonomers in the copolymers were characterized by GPC with RI/UV dual detectors and 1H-NMR spectroscopy. The corresponding functionalized random copolymers of IB with vinyl phenol P(IB-co-POH) carrying phenolic hydroxyl side groups could be further prepared via the complete hydrolysis of acetoxyl side groups in P(IB-co-ACS) or tert-butoxyl side groups in P(IB-co-TBO) copolymers. The functionalized P(IB-co-POH) copolymers became hydrophilic with water contact angle (WCA) of ca. 80° for the self-assembly in hot water, compared to the hydrophobic polyisobutylene with WCA of ca. 110°. The functionalized P(IB-co-POH) copolymers also displayed an excellent self-healing property due to the interaction of intermolecular hydrogen bonding and formation of three dimentional supramolecular networks from phenolic hydroxyl side groups. Furthermore, P(IB-co-POH) copolymers also provided a good matrix for the homogeneous dispersion for silica nanoparticles due to the formation of hydrogen bonding between copolymer chains and silica nanoparticles.
文摘Increasing environmental concerns about limiting harmful emissions has necessitated sulfur-and phosphorus-free green lubricant additives.Although boron-containing compounds have been widely investigated as green lubricant additives,their macromolecular analogs have been rarely considered yet to develop environmentally friendly lubricant additives.In this work,a series of boron-containing copolymers have been synthesized by free-radical copolymerization of stearyl methacrylate and isopropenyl boronic acid pinacol ester with different feeding ratios(S_(n)-r-B_(m),n=1,m=1/3,1,2,3,5,9).The resulting copolymers of S_(n)-r-B_(m)(n=1,m=1/3,1,2,3,5)are readily dispersed in the PAO-10 base oil and form micelle-like aggregates with hydrodynamic diameters ranging from 9.7 to 52 nm.SRV-IV oscillating reciprocating tribological tests on ball-on-flat steel pairs show that compared with the base oil of PAO-10,the friction coefficients and wear volumes of the base oil solutions of S_(n)-r-B_(m)decrease considerably up to 62%and 97%,respectively.Moreover,the base oil solution of S_(1)-r-B_(1)exhibits an excellent load-bearing capacity of(850±100)N.These superior lubricating properties are due to the formation of protective tribofilms comprising S_(n)-r-B_(m),boron oxide,and iron oxide compounds on the lubricated steel surface.Therefore,the boron-containing copolymers can be regarded as a novel class of environmentally friendly lubricating oil macroadditives for efficient friction and wear reduction without sulfur and phosphorus elements.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFB3707300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.22133002,22373089)the support from the Excellent Youth Foundation of Henan Scientific Committee(No.242300421032).
文摘A significant challenge in developing block copolymer photonic crystals is constructing low-symmetric ordered phases,which are essential for achieving a complete photonic band gap.Here,we propose a promising strategy to create low-symmetric ordered morphologies by incorporating shape-anisotropic rod-like side chains into block copolymers.Using dissipative particle dynamics simulations,we demonstrate that block copolymers with longer rod-like side chains can self-assemble into a hexagonally packed columnar phase characterized by a low-symmetric rectangular cross-section.Photonic band structure calculations reveal that this low-symmetric columnar phase can exhibit a complete photonic band gap,with the gap size dependent on the aspect ratio of the rectangular cross-sections of the columns.Our findings suggest an effective approach to constructing low-symmetric photonic crystals through the self-assembly of block copolymers with shape-anisotropic segments.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.2024JBZX029)Shijiazhuang High Level Science and Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Project(No.08202307)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(No.22173004).
文摘The optimization of polymer structures aims to determine an optimal sequence or topology that achieves a given target property or structural performance.This inverse design problem involves searching within a vast combinatorial phase space defined by components,se-quences,and topologies,and is often computationally intractable due to its NP-hard nature.At the core of this challenge lies the need to evalu-ate complex correlations among structural variables,a classical problem in both statistical physics and combinatorial optimization.To address this,we adopt a mean-field approach that decouples direct variable-variable interactions into effective interactions between each variable and an auxiliary field.The simulated bifurcation(SB)algorithm is employed as a mean-field-based optimization framework.It constructs a Hamiltonian dynamical system by introducing generalized momentum fields,enabling efficient decoupling and dynamic evolution of strongly coupled struc-tural variables.Using the sequence optimization of a linear copolymer adsorbing on a solid surface as a case study,we demonstrate the applica-bility of the SB algorithm to high-dimensional,non-differentiable combinatorial optimization problems.Our results show that SB can efficiently discover polymer sequences with excellent adsorption performance within a reasonable computational time.Furthermore,it exhibits robust con-vergence and high parallel scalability across large design spaces.The approach developed in this work offers a new computational pathway for polymer structure optimization.It also lays a theoretical foundation for future extensions to topological design problems,such as optimizing the number and placement of side chains,as well as the co-optimization of sequence and topology.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(NSFC)(Nos.22173051,21829301,21774066)College Discipline Innovation and Intelligence Introduction Program(111 Project(B16027)+1 种基金the International Cooperation Base(2016D01025)Tianjin International Joint Research and Development Center。
文摘Spatial confinement of block copolymers can induce frustrations,which can further be utilized to regulate self-assembled structures,thus providing an efficient route for fabricating novel structures.We studied the self-assembly of AB di-block copolymers(di-BCPs)confined in Janus spherical nanocavities using simulations,and explained the structure formation mechanisms.In the case of a strongly selective cavity wall,all the lamella-forming,gyroid-forming,and cylinder-forming di-BCPs can form interfacial frustration-induced Janus concentric perforated lamellar nanoparticles,whose outermost is a Janus spherical shell and the internal is a sphere with concentric perforated lamellar structure.In particular,Janus concentric perforated lamellar nanoparticles with holes distributed only near the equatorial plane were obtained in both lamella-forming and gyroid-forming di-BCPs,directly reflecting the effect of interfacial frustration.The minority-block domain of the cylider-forming di-BCPs may form hemispherical perforated lamellar structures with holes distributed in parallel layers with a specific orientation.For symmetric di-BCPs,both the A and B domains in each nanoparticle are continuous,interchangeable,and have rotational symmetry.While for gyroid-forming and cylinder-forming di-BCPs,only the majority-block domains are continuous in each nanoparticle,and holes in the minority-block domains usually have rotational symmetry.In the case of a weakly selective cavity wall,the inhomogeneity of the cavity wall results in structures having a specific orientation(such as flower-like and branched structures in gyroid-forming and cylinder-forming di-BCPs)and a perforated wetting layer with uniformly distributed holes.The novel nanoparticles obtained may have potential applications in nanotechnology as functional nanostructures or nanoparticles.
基金financially supported by the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2021YFB3801901)the Institutional Research Fund from Sichuan University(No.2020SCUNL205)+1 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universitiesthe Higher Education Discipline Innovation Project(No.B20001)。
文摘Polymers that exhibit both biodegradability and chemical recyclability offer a promising solution to environmental pollution and resource scarcity. Poly(glycolic acid)(PGA) is a promising chemically recyclable polymer, characterized by its seawater degradability and high mechanical strength. In this study, aliphatic polycarbonates were synthesized through melt polycondensation and subsequently copolymerized with glycolide(GL) to produce chemically recyclable PGA based triblock copolymers with well-defined structures. The properties of these copolymers, including their thermal properties, crystallization behavior, and mechanical performance, can be effectively adjusted by modifying the structure and content of the middle block. Furthermore, an in-depth investigation reveals that the pyrolysis process involves ester exchange, radical, and back-biting reactions. In addition, the high-efficiency "Monomer↔Copolymer" chemical recycling loop has been established, achieving a remarkable yield exceeding 88% along with a purity greater than 99%.
文摘The associative properties of methoxy (CH3O-) ended E58B11 and hydroxyl (-OH) ended E56B19 oxyethylene-oxybuty- lene diblock copolymers in aqueous solution at different temperature are reported in this paper. For both copolymers, E represents an oxyethylene (-[CH2CH2O]-) unit and B an oxybutylene (-[CH(C2H5)CH2O]-) unit while the subscripts denote the number average block length. Surface tension measurements were used to find out surface excess concentrations (Γm), area per molecule (αs1 ) at air/water interface and Gibbs free energy for adsorption (△G0ads ) for the pre-micellar region at four temperatures. Likewise thermodynamic parameters of micellization such as, critical micelle concentrations (CMC), enthalpy of micellization (△H0mic ), standard free energy of micellization (△G0mic) and entropy of micellization (△S0mic ), were also obtained using surface tension measurements. Solution densities were used to deter-mine the partial specific volume of micelle ( Vmic) and micellar density (ρmic). Dilute solution viscosities have been used to estimate the intrinsic viscosities [η], solute-solvent interaction parameter (KH) and hydration value of micelle (Wh) at various temperatures. The effect of temperature on the micelle properties is also discussed.
