Dynamics of Composition Fluctuations in Diblock Copolymer Solutions Far from and Near to the Ordering Transition

Influence of Composition Fluctuations on the Linear Viscoelastic Properties of Symmetric Diblock Copolymers near the Order-Disorder Transition

Rheological evidence of composition fluctuations in disordered diblock copolymers near the order-disorder transition (ODT) has been documented in the literature over the past three decades, characterized by a failure of time-temperature superposition (tTS) to reduce linear dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS) data in the terminal viscoelastic regime to a temperature-independent form. However, for some materials, most notably poly(styrene-b-isoprene) (PS-PI), no signature of these rheological features has been found. We present small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) results on symmetric poly(cyclohexylethylene-b-ethylene) (PCHE-PE) diblock copolymers that confirm the presence of fluctuations in the disordered state and DMS measurements that also show no sign of the features ascribed to composition fluctuations. Assessment of DMS results published on five different diblock copolymer systems leads us to conclude that the effects of composition fluctuations can be masked by highly asymmetric block dynamics, thereby resolving a long-standing disagreement in the literature and reinforcing the importance of mechanical contrast in understanding the dynamics of ordered and disordered block polymers.

Rheological Evidence of Composition Fluctuations in an Unentangled Diblock Copolymer Melt near the Order-Disorder Transition

Rheological and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) measurements were conducted on a symmetric, low molar mass (M_n = 17.6 kg/mol), poly(tert-butylstyrene-block-methyl methacrylate) (PtBS-PMMA) diblock copolymer near the order-disorder transition temperature (T_ODT = 193 ± 1 °C). Evidence of composition fluctuations is apparent in the low frequency elastic (G') and loss (G″) moduli and in the temperature dependence of the peak scattering intensity, I(q*), up to 50 °C above the T_ODT. These findings demonstrate that chain entanglements are not responsible for the well-documented fluctuation mode in the terminal viscoelastic regime of block copolymer melts.

Dynamics of amphiphilic diblock copolymers at the air-water interface

Two polyisoprene-polyethyleneoxide diblock copolymers with different block length ratios adsorbed to the water surface were investigated by multiple angle of incidence ellipsometry, evanescent wave light scattering, and surface tension experiments. In a semidilute interfacial regime, the transition from a two-dimensional to a "mushroom" regime, in which polymer chains form loops and tails in the subphase, was discussed. A diffusion mechanism parallel to the interface was probed by evanescent wave dynamic light scattering. At intermediate concentrations, the interfacial diffusion coefficient D(∥) scales with the surface concentration Γ, as D(∥) ~ Γ(0.77) in agreement with the scaling observed for polymer solutions in a semidilute regime. At relatively high concentrations a decreasing of D(∥) is discussed in terms of increasing friction due to interactions between polyisoprene chains.

Colloidal encapsulation of hydrolytically and oxidatively unstable organoborane catalysts and their use in waterborne acrylic polymerization

Trialkylborane catalysts and their amine complexes are hydrolytically and oxidatively unstable, decomposing in water very rapidly to trialkylboroxin, borate esters, and boric acid. However, trialkylborane-amine complexes will rapidly partition to a colloidal phase and remain surprisingly stable for long periods of time (>3 months) until such time as the catalyst is brought into an environment convenient for phase transfer. We show that tributylborane-amine complexes can be stored in aqueous solutions of several water-miscible polymers. We show by diffusion-oriented spectroscopy (DOSY) NMR experiments that the tributylborane-amine catalyst diffuses at nearly the same rate as the colloidal phase, providing strong evidence that they coexist. The aqueous colloidal catalysts can then be mixed with polymerizable monomers such as acrylates to produce good-quality polymers. We show that these colloid-encapsulated catalysts are also useful in producing adhesives capable of adhering low-surface-energy plastic substrates, even when formulated in systems containing 45% water. This is the first report of a waterborne structural adhesive.

Dendrimer-influenced supramolecular structure formation of block copolymers

The water content-dependent supramolecular structure formation of polystyrene-block-poly(acrylic acid) (PS-b-PAA) copolymer in the presence of a fourth-generation amine-terminated poly(amido amine) dendrimer (PAMAM) is investigated by dynamic light scattering, turbidity measurements, and transmission electron microscopy. The solvent system for this study is a mixture of dioxane/THF and water. A very complex turbidity profile is observed with increasing water content in the system and is explained by the presence of various aggregated structures based on strong interactions between the amine-containing dendrimers and the poly(acrylic acid) blocks of the polymer. The onset of the self-assembly of single chains of PS-b-PAA (primary structure) into single and multiple dendrimer core inverse micelles (secondary structure) is detected as very low water contents of cw < 2% wt (cwc). These micelles consist of dendrimers coated with PAA blocks, which are connected to the corresponding PS chains that form the corona. Further addition of water leads to an association of these micelles into compound multiple dendrimer core inverse micelles (tertiary structure) in the range of cw = approximately 6 to approximately 10% wt. At still higher water content, some of the acrylic acid chains of the block copolymer move from the vicinity of the dendrimer to the outside of the aggregates, resulting in a decrease in the size of the formed structures and the acquisition of progressively increasing hydrophilic character of the aggregates. Multiple dendrimer core inverse onion micelles are formed, which agglomerate into compound multiple dendrimer core inverse onion micelles at cw = approximately 12 to approximately 18% wt. Above this water content, vesicular structures are formed. The complexity is unusual for block copolymer systems and illustrates the importance of strong interactions in structure formation.

Revealing Long-Range Density Fluctuations in Dialkylimidazolium Chloride Ionic Liquids by Dynamic Light Scattering

In this study, the structures and dynamics of ionic liquids of 1-allyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([AMIM][Cl]) and 1-n-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([BMIM][Cl]) were studied by dynamic light scattering with polarized and depolarized geometries in the temperature range from 300 to 400 K. The temperature range covered supercooled and liquid states for [BMIM][Cl] and covered the liquid state for [AMIM][Cl]. The results show that for these ionic liquids at all chosen temperatures only one ultraslow relaxation is observed in the polarized component of dynamic light scattering, however, the ultraslow relaxation is not observed in the depolarized component. The ultraslow relaxation exhibited several typical features of the "cluster" mode generally found in glass-forming liquids and polymer melts, such as diffusive, strongly scattering-vector-dependent, and nearly exponential characters, which thus corresponded to long-range density fluctuations. The physical origin for long-range density fluctuations was the existence of heterogeneities with large characteristic length scales in these ionic liquids. It was further considered that molecules of these ionic liquids not only tended to aggregate to form dynamic clusters but also possibly formed dynamic networks in the supercooled state and the heterogeneities could exist even at temperatures higher than the melting points.

Diffusion-induced growth of compositional heterogeneity in polymer blends containing random copolymers

The compositional relaxation in random copolymer systems on a macroscopic scale is considered in theory. A set of diffusion equations is derived that describes the motion of chains of different composition and then converted into coupled equations for statistical moments of the compositional distribution. Several ways to solve the closure problem for these equations are discussed. The simplest is the situation when the shape of the transient compositional distribution can be predicted a priori, for example, a bimodal distribution is kept during interdiffusion of two copolymers that are not very close in composition. For a general case, it is shown that the cumulant-neglect closure based on the truncation of high-order cumulants is an effective method to get an approximate solution in terms of the time-dependent local mean composition and its dispersion. This method is applied to non-homogeneous compatible polymer systems, such as a random copolymer AB of a composition varying in space, a bilayer of Bernoullian copolymers AB of different composition, and a bilayer of homopolymers A and B, in which an autocatalytic polymer-analogous reaction A --> B takes place, with possibility of the neighbor group effect. It is found that the interdiffusion can lead to a substantial broadening of the local compositional distribution, which, in turn, accelerates the system dynamics and promotes chemical reactions.

The solubilisation behaviour of some dichloroalkanes in aqueous solutions of PEO–PPO–PEO triblock copolymers: a dynamic light scattering, fluorescence spectroscopy, and SANS study

The aggregation behaviour of PEO-PPO-PEO triblock copolymers in water and in water + chlorinated additive mixtures was studied by means of fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). The copolymers were chosen such as to investigate the effects of molecular architecture (L35 and 10R5) and molecular weight by keeping constant the hydrophilic/hydrophobic balance (F88 and F108). 1,2-Dichloroethane was used as a prototype of water basins contaminants. The hydrodynamic radius of the block copolymer aggregates (R(h,M)) and the intensity ratio of pyrene of the first and the third vibrational band (I(1)/I(3)) were determined as a function of temperature (10-45 degrees C) and concentration. The copolymer architecture essentially does not affect R(h,M) in the entire range of temperature and concentration investigated. At a given temperature, increasing macromolecular size leads to a decrease of R(h,M). With rising temperature R(h,M) also decreases. According to the DLS results, the I(1)/I(3) change with temperature clearly detects the aggregation only for F88 and F108. The presence of 1,2-dichloroethane, at concentrations close to its solubility in water, does not lead to changes in the distribution of hydrodynamic radii for L35 and 10R5. Larger quantities of additive induce the formation of quite polydisperse mixed aggregates for L35 and of networks for 10R5. In the case of F88 and F108, low concentrations of additive lead to formation of mixed aggregates with smaller R(h,M). The SANS results corroborate the DLS and fluorescence findings proving enhancement of the copolymer aggregation through the presence of 1,2-dichloroethane. The DLS findings combined with those from the fluorescence spectroscopy provide some insight into the site of solubilisation of the additive in the aggregates.

Structure and dynamics of polymer-grafted clay suspensions

The structure and dynamics of polymer-grafted two-dimensional silicate layers in solution were investigated. The geometry of the individual silicate layers was examined by looking at both polarized and depolarized light scattering from dilute solutions, while higher-concentration systems were used to study the interaction and dynamics of polymer-grafted silicate layers in suspension. The form factor for an oblate ellipsoid was used to fit the polarized intensity profile, and values of a approximately 80 nm and b approximately 380 nm for the semi-axes were obtained. The 80 nm value compares reasonably with the dimensions of the polymer brushes grafted on the surface of the silicate layers. The modulus of the grafted silicate in solution, as determined by Brillouin scattering, is of the order of 10 GPa. The cooperative diffusion mechanism, typical of interacting polymer chains, is suppressed due to the high polymer osmotic pressure. The osmotic pressure is also responsible for the weak interpenetration of the densely grafted polymer chains on the surface of the silicate layers. The scattering data indicates that the polymer-grafted nanoparticles move via collective diffusion and experience significant decrease in mobility above their overlap concentration.

Probing Collective Motions of Terminally Anchored Polymers

Polymer chains attached by one end to an impenetrable surface at high coverage exemplify a tethered layer of mesoscopic dimensions. At equilibrium, thermal fluctuations of the segment density profile of the brushlike layer reflect the tethered chain dynamics; the probing of these fluctuations by evanescent-wave dynamic light scattering is reported. By utilizing a set of terminally attached layers with thicknesses (L0) from 45 to 130 nanometers, it was found that there is a preferred wavelength of order L0 of these fluctuations with a concurrent slowing down of their thermal decay rate. This technique could open the route for the investigation of the largely unexplored area of polymer surface dynamics.